Stained glass windows in churches were created to carry elaborate iconographical

messages to the faithful (1) who were mostly illiterate at the time of the creation of this work,

The Beheading of St. John the Baptist. St. John the Baptist was imprisoned by King Herod

for speaking against the marriage of Herod and his brother's wife, Herodias. Later, Herod's

stepdaughter, Salome, requested St. John's head as a reward for performing the Dance of the

Seven Veils. She wanted revenge on St. John because he had, at one point, scorned her (2).

In the work we see the large executioner outside the tower where St. John is imprisoned,

about to cruelly cut off St. John's, symbolically haloed, holy head. The executioner's face shows

determination; under his harsh eyebrows his eyes are pointed down at St. John, the executioner is

tight-lipped, he is beardless (symbolizing youth) and he is barefoot. St. John's bearded face has

softer features. He is being yanked by the hair, and he looks sad, scared, and confused. He does

not know why he is being killed. His arms are o

vivid red halo, which also stands out because of that color's intensity. The executioner stands on a

St. John's green robe seem calm, cool and gracious. Around St. John's head there is a similarly

add to the shadowy-grey stone walls and contribute life to the cathedral. Stained glass windows,

very volumetric, and besides, natural body shape was subordinate to the representation (5) of the

brilliant ruby red and a dark saturated blue. There is also a mix of white, light green, yellow,

and his eyes are pointed up towards God, almost pleadingly. Another interpretation for St. John's

Some common words found in the essay are:
St John's, St John, Arts Stained, John Baptist, st john, st john's, King Herod, Jesus Christ, stained glass, Herodias Herod's, stained glass windows, glass windows, john baptist, Seven Veils, st john baptist, Beheading St, st john's head, black paint, john's head, glass window, pieces glass, stained glass window, striking aspect, beheading st john,
Approximate Word count = 1109
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)