The Many Faces Of Judith

    During the 16th century, the influence of Apocryphal tales had a very large influence on the Counter-reformation in the Catholic Church, and the book of Judith played a big role during this time. Judith is interpreted as a model of a pious Christain life, one of chastity, humility, virtue, prayer, and reverent dedication to God through her actions. In her Apocryphal tale, Judith slew General Holofernes, who was appointed by the Assyrian King Nebuchadnezzar to besiege her Jewish city. Resisting Holofernes advances, Judith delivered her people, and through decievance, she seduced and sliced off his head. Because of this, Judith became very popular in forms of propaganda representing a triumphant Christian over non-believers and a sovereign woman of God. Many artists such as Massimo Stanzione, Artemisia Gentileschi, Guido Reni, Caravaggio, Elisabetta Sirani, and Botticelli Filipepi, not only took inspiration from this Apocryphal book during the Baroque period but they are all interconnected in some shape or form having looked at each other's artistic styles and adopting them into their own works. Each piece I have picked below demonstrates not only the expressiveness of the art styles during the Renaissance but the various scenes of Judith's tale depicted by the artists listed above, in chronological order.

The Discovery of Holofernes' Corpse Judith Returns from the Enemy Camp at Bethulia Botticelli Filipepi 1470 - 1472 Medium: Tempera on panel Uffizi Gallery, Firenze, Italy

    Botticelli Filipepi is known for his Italian Gothic and Early Renaissance paintings. in this Mythological piece, he uses deep tones of red and blue to emphasize the more yellow body of Holofernes in the foreground. The way the drapery of red flows down on the right side of Holofernes draws attention to the blood leaking from his severed trachea. In this piece, he is depicting the aftermath of Judith’s actions. The discovery of Holofernes by what looks to be his troops, as they are wearing knightly garb, and are distraught by what they have stumbled upon. If you look closely at the figure standing center-left, there is a man who looks to be unconscious and falling over after discovering the headless Holofernes, as he is grasping the sheet in both hands as if having just pulled it away.

Judith Beheading Holofernes

Caravaggio

c.1598 - 1599

Oil on canvas

National Gallery of Ancient Art (GNAA), Rome, Italy

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Caravaggio’s take on Judith beheading Holofernes is quite different, he chose to paint the scene where Judith is actively beheading Holofernes. He has embodied the dark, earthy Baroque theme, distinguishable by using chiaroscuro which means light-dark. The background is very dark, while the figures in the foreground are highlighted by very harsh lighting. We are spared no detail in Caravaggio’s painting of Judith, he truly gives you every detail of the pain, gore, effort, and blood that came from this part of the tale. The straining of Holofernes, the intensity in his face as the sword is being pulled through his trachea, and the violent spurting of blood as it sprays onto the white sheets below him.

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  Judith Slaying Holofernes

  Artemisia Gentileschi

   1620-21

  oil on canvas

  Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
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•  Artemisia got an abundance of her inspiration for Caravaggio, as you can see, looking back and forth between Caravaggio and Artemisia’s works of Judith they look very similar. She embodies the use of chiaroscuro as well in her highly naturalistic portrait and is very successful in her dramatic portrayal of the beheading of Holofernes. Her figures have more naturalistic poses compared to Carravaggio’s, from the strain of Holofernes's body, splaying his hands out in an attempt to push away his pursuers, to Judith's maid pressing him down while Judith slices through his neck. She has a more naturalistic spray of blood, and the look on Holofernes face depicts perfectly his losing battle, the slackening of his jaw, and the dullness of his eyes as he is being mercilessly killed.

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Judith Slaying Holofernes

Artemisia Gentileschi

 1620-21

oil on canvas

Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

    Artemisia got an abundance of her inspiration for Caravaggio, as you can see, looking back and forth between Caravaggio and Artemisia’s works of Judith they look very similar. She embodies the use of chiaroscuro as well in her highly naturalistic portrait and is very successful in her dramatic portrayal of the beheading of Holofernes. Her figures have more naturalistic poses compared to Carravaggio’s, from the strain of Holofernes's body, splaying his hands out in an attempt to push away his pursuers, to Judith's maid pressing him down while Judith slices through his neck. She has a more naturalistic spray of blood, and the look on Holofernes face depicts perfectly his losing battle, the slackening of his jaw, and the dullness of his eyes as he is being mercilessly killed.

Judith with the head of Holofernes

Massimo Stanzione

ca.1640

Oil on Canvas

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

    Stanzione is influenced by Caravaggio and Artemisia Gentileschi. He is using the Baroque style and uses chiaroscuro to show (like in the previous painting) the aftermath of Judith’s killing. Instead of using the chiaroscuro and Baroque styles to depict violence, Stanzione takes a more peaceful approach. The head of Holofernes is tucked into the folds of her dress, and divine light is cast down onto her face, justifying her actions. Through the use of guided lines and triangles of color, Stanzione guides the viewer around his artwork through the yellows in Judith's dress, the clasp meeting at her chest holding her blue cape, and red that lines her sleeves and bodice.

Judith standing and looking up, holding the head of Holofernes in her left hand and a sword in her right, tents in the background, after Reni

Guido Reni | Anonymous

1650–1750

Etching

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

    Guido Reni’s rendition of Judith is a mix of all of the artists from above. She is portraying the aftermath of Judith’s actions, while not removing her from the scene in which the deed has been committed. Compared to Stanzione and Elisabetta, she is standing right in front of the Holofernes’ body and has just finished slicing off his head. There is more of a presence of fierceness because of this, which embodies that of Caravaggio and Artemisia, without the violence of the active killing, and she still portrays this through the use of etching as opposed to chiaroscuro.