Allegorical Theme: Combat of Animals

Master of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist

Cleveland Museum of Art

Master of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist's Combat of Animals, a black-and-white drawing depicting a chaotic scene of animals and human figures. The scene contains a nude male figure on the left with curly hair and a beard holding a shield and a sword while looking to the right; he's seated on a rock. To his right are two nude figures. One standing on all fours and another on two legs with large ears. The foreground features several animals: a bear on the left, a boar-like creature below the central figure, and a lion-like creature facing the right. On the right side, a creature with a dragon-like body and a horse or donkey-like head lunges to the left. The background includes a rocky cliff with openings, possibly a cave, and a distant city or buildings on the left. The scene is set amidst foliage and rocks with a variety of plants throughout.