Caravaggio–The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist {1608}

Caravaggio's The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. Photograph:Bappy
Caravaggio shows a murderous moment in a prison yard. The executioner has drawn a knife to sever the last tendons and skin of John the Baptist's neck. Someone watches this horrific moment from a barred window. All around is sepulchral gloom. Death and human cruelty are laid bare by this masterpiece, as its scale and shadow daunt and possess the mind.