Featured Naively Carved Wooden Panel

This small panel (about 24” tall) is coming for sale locally. I can only provide a photo of the front. It’s described as oak.

Any thoughts on the origin or the scene being depicted? It looks like a seated Christ with two large men (one kneeling and the other gripping his long hair) and a guard peeking around the door.

Judas?

 

I think the kneeling man is John the Baptist who is about to have his head cut off by one of King Herod's men, and the seated figure is Salome about to receive his head. ("Bring me the head of John the Baptist")

 

I just thought of the long hair being gripped, a more likely possibility is that the kneeling man is Samson and the seated woman is Delilah.
Delilah betrayed Samson to the Filistines. Samson's long hair was the secret of his special strength.

 

I really like that. Looks like it has some age. But how old do you think? A photo of the back would have been great. Maybe not antique? Do you think the wood was stained?

 

I thought of Samson and Delilah but thought the seated figure looked mannish . Could well be right though.

Won’t see the back unless I win it. I feel it has some age. Doesn’t appear to be copying a known antique panel.

 

I think you are right. The composition has real similarities to this artwork by Reubens

 

Maybe the artist was inspired by Rubens, although you wouldn't have thought it to look at it.

 

The composition is so similar.

Debora

 

Stylistically, it looks 1950s to me

 

I missed out at the auction. Stopped at £90 sold for £110 I think.