Overview of the left inner shutter

The action continues on the left inner shutter.

Hans MEMLING, “Triptych of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist”, view of the left inner shutter, Memling Museum, Old St. John's Hospital, Bruges (Brugge)
the left inner shutter
Scene of Salome's dance in Herod's palace, inside left shutter

To succeed in making John die without causing any troubles among his supporters, Herod imagined a staging:

«on his birthday», he organized «a dinner for his dignitaries, for the chiefs of the army and for the notables of Galilee.

Herodiade Salome's daughter» makes «her entrance» and dances.

The "Dance of Salome" takes place in a room in the tower of Herod's palace at the upper left of the left shutter, the wall of which Memling gutted to show the scene.

Above, statues set in niches represent a naked man between two naked women, pagan figures who allude to Herod's adulterous behaviour.

Overhead, statues set in niches depict a naked man between two naked women, pagan figures: they qualify the adulterous nature of the place and Herod's behavior.

Hans MEMLING, “Triptych of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist”, detail of the left inner shutter, “Salome's Dance”, Memling Museum, Old St. John's Hospital, Bruges (Brugge)
detail of the left inner shutter, “Salome's Dance”

Herod looks as if he liked his dance and, to avoid responsibility for John's death, says (Mark, chapter 6, verses 22 to 25):

  1. «“Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you”.

  2. He swore to her,

    “Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”

  3. Salome went out, and said to her mother,

    “What shall I ask?”»

    Herodias said,

    «“The head of John, the one who baptises”.

  4. She came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked,

    “I want you to give me right now the head of John the one who baptises on a platter.”.

Thus Herod can appear to put John to death against his will.

The proof that this whole story is indeed a smokescreen designed to allow John to be put to death without provoking a revolt by John's supporters is, as Jacobus da Varagine explains, that if Salome asks Herod «the death of her father Philip or her mother Herodias», Herod cannot consent to it (The Golden Legend chapter 121, paragraph I. note 8 ).

The only purpose of the smokescreen is indeed to avoid placing the responsibility for John's killing on Herod by falsely presenting him in the eyes of history as acceding to this request against his will.

Scene of the beheading of John in the courtyard of Herod's palace, from the inner left shutter

So history is accomplishing itself, tragically.

A guard is going to «behead John in the prison» (Mark, chapter 6, verse 28).

Hans MEMLING, “Triptych of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist”, detail of the left inner shutter, “Decollation of John the Baptist”, Memling Museum, Old St. John's Hospital, Bruges (Brugge)
detail of the left inner shutter, “Decollation of John the Baptist”