Judith Beheading Holofernes
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| Judith Beheading Holofernes |
| Caravaggio, 1598-1599 |
| Oil on canvas |
| 145 × 195 cm |
| Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Rome |
Judith Beheading Holofernes (Judith and Holophernes), completed in 1599, is an early religious painting by the Italian painter Caravaggio. It is housed in the gallery of Palazzo Barberini, in Rome.
A whole book in some versions of the Bible is devoted to Judith, because as a woman she embodies the power of the people of Israel to defeat the enemy, though superior in numbers, by means of cunning and courage. She seeks out Holofernes in his tent, makes him drunk, then beheads him. The sight of their commander's bloodstained head on the battlements of Bethulia puts the enemy to flight.
This is the first time Caravaggio chose such a highly dramatic subject. The original bare breasts of Judith were later covered by the semi-transparent blouse. The rough details and the realistic precision (correct down to the tiniest details of anatomy and physiology) have caused some to think that the painting was inspired by two highly publicized Roman executions of the time: that of Giordano Bruno and Beatrice Cenci in 1599.
The model for Judith is Fillide Melandroni, a well-known courtesan of the day, whom Caravaggio used for several other paintings from around this time, notably Saint Catherine and Martha and Mary Magdalene. Leonardo da Vinci's drawing Study for a Caricature inspired the servant woman.
[edit] Other paintings
The beheading of Holofernes by Judith was a subject for several works of art by such names as Donatello, Sandro Botticelli, Andrea Mantegna, Giorgione, and Lucas Cranach the Elder, among many. Caravaggio's approach deeply influenced Artemisia Gentileschi, who subsequently painted at least two versions of her own.
Gustav Klimt also painted a Judith holding the head of Holofernes in his famous gilt-laden style.
