Left: the martyrdom of John the Baptist was the inspiration for a host of Victorian writers, musicians and artists.

Two paintings of The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist by Pierre-Cecille Puvis de Chavannes (1824-1898) have been re-united for the first time in a century.

Right: the final version exhibited in the Paris Salon of 1870 is now held by the Barber Institute.

The Barber Institute and the National Gallery in London have joined forces to make the re-unification possible at an exhibition at The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham University, from April 19- July 14.

The exhibition examines the development of the French painter's St. John the Baptist composition from his first treatment of the theme in 1856.

After the 'definitive' version, now belonging to the Barber Institute, had been exhibited in the Paris Salon 1870, Puvis continued to experiment with another huge version, which now belongs to the National Gallery.

The two paintings are displayed with a large painted sketch, not exhibited before, and a group of drawings from six French museums.

The exhibition illustrates the artist's personal response to the biblical struggle between Saint John and the femme fatale Salome, who insisted on John's execution at the hands of King Herod.

There is also the opportunity to look at the working methods of the artist with recent x-rays included in the exhibition.

The exhibition is accompanied by a series of lectures.