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“Judith and Holofernes” in Italy’s 17th-century art
Orazio Gentileschi, "Judith and Her Maid", c. 1608-09, oil on canvas, Nasjonalmuseet for Kunst, Arkitektur og Design, Oslo
“Judith and Holofernes” continued to be portrayed a number of times by artists in the 17th century, in various styles from Classicism to Baroque.
The biblical episode was also explored by Caravaggisti such as Orazio and Artemisia Gentileschi, deeply influenced by the works of the great Michelangelo Merisi.
Art critic Maurizio Calvesi explains, “Since the Middle Ages, some Bible commentaries identified Judith with the Virgin Mary and Holofernes with the devil. We can say almost for sure that Caravaggio himself wished to recall this symbolism: Holofernes, in his contortions, is reminiscent of a number of works representing the devil, including Raphael’s ‘Saint Michael Vanquishing Satan’ […] Thus, while Holofernes represents the devil, Judith embodies the Virgin Mary, that is the Church, and is able to defeat evil despite her weakness. Indeed, Judith’s gesture in the painting as she cuts off the head is not realistic: how could such a delicate arm decapitate a general? The incongruence had some assert this was not one of Caravaggio’s works. But in fact it is crucial to the painter’s symbolism: Judith does not succeed in killing and decapitating Holofernes thanks to her own physical strength, but thanks to the strength God gives her. And the light coming down from above is the divine light guiding her hand” (Massimiliano Finazzer Flory [edited by], “Il gioco serio dell’arte”, Bur, Milan 2008).
Giuseppe Cesari, Cavalier d'Arpino, "Judith with Holofernes' Head", 1605-1610, oil on canvas, Berkeley Art Museum, Berkeley
Giovanni Baglione, "Judith with Holofernes' Head", 1608, oil on canvas, Galleria Borghese, Rome
Orazio Gentileschi, "Judith and Her Maid", 1610-1612, oil on canvas, private collection
Artemisia Gentileschi, "Judith and Her Maid", 1611-1614, oil on canvas, Collezione Lemme, Rome
Cristofano Allori, "Judith with Holofernes' Head", 1613, oil on canvas, Royal Collection Trust, London
Giovan Francesco Guerrieri, "Judith and Holofernes", 1615-1618, oil on canvas, Banca Popolare dell'Adriatico, Pesaro
Carlo Saraceni, "Judith with Holofernes' Head", c. 1618, oil on canvas, Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell'Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence
Lionello Spada, "Judith with Holofernes Head", 1618-1619, oil on canvas, Galleria Nazionale, Parma
Artemisia Gentileschi, "Judith and Her Maid", 1618-1619, oil on canvas, Galleria Palatina di Palazzo Pitti, Florence
Artemisia Gentileschi, "Judith and Her Maid", detail
Artemisia Gentileschi, ''Judith Decapitating Holofernes'', c. 1620, oil on canvas, Museo nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples
Artemisia Gentileschi, ''Judith and Holofernes'', 1612-1620, oil on canvas, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
Artemisia Gentileschi, ''Judith and Her Maid'', 1625-1627, oil on canvas, Detroit Institute of Arts Museum, Detroit
Domenico Fiasella, "Judith with Holofernes' Head", 1626, oil on canvas, Musei Civici di Novara
Francesco Furini, "Judith and Holofernes", 1636, oil on canvas, Galleria nazionale d'Arte antica, Rome
Guido Cagnacci, "Judith with Holofernes' Head", c. 1645, oil on canvas, Pinacoteca Nazionale, Bologna
Francesco Montelatici, Cecco Bravo, "Judith with Holofernes' Head", c. 1646, oil on canvas, Museo Stefano Bardini, Florence
Elisabetta Sirani, "Judith with Holofernes' Head", 17th century, oil on canvas, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore
Lionello Spada, "Judith Gives Holofernes' Head to Her Maid", 17th century, oil on canvas, Pinacoteca Nazionale, Bologna
Bernardo Cavallino, "Judith with Holofernes' Head", 17th century, oil on canvas, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm
