Follower of Juan de Valdés Leal

Follower of JUAN DE VALDÉS LEAL (Seville, 1622 - 1690); XVIII century.
"The head of St. John the Baptist".
Oil on canvas.
Measurements: 39 x 63 cm; 54 x 57 cm (frame).
The work represents the biblical episode after the martyrdom of the saint, reducing the narration to a unique and overwhelming motif: the decapitated head of the Baptist arranged on a tray, accompanied only by the bloody cloth and the knife, sufficient elements to condense the drama, the sacrifice and the violence of the act.
The composition is austere and radical, built on a dark and undefined background that cancels any spatial reference and concentrates all attention on the object represented. This suppression of the narrative context is characteristic of the Valdesian environment and responds to a desire for direct impact on the viewer.
From the technical point of view, the quality of the work is remarkable, although it does not reach the most extreme virtuosity of Valdés Leal's autograph pieces. The modeling of the face, resolved by means of violent hallmarks of light and shadow, reveals a solid mastery of chiaroscuro and an effective understanding of anatomy, especially in the construction of the cranial volume and the beard. The treatment of the white cloth, splattered with blood, introduces a strong chromatic and symbolic contrast, functioning as a visual axis and as an explicit reminder of martyrdom. The brushstroke is direct, somewhat rough, and avoids a polished finish, thus reinforcing the sensation of rawness and material truth.