Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi
While there are many depictions of the biblical story of Judith beheading Holofernes, Artemisia Gentileschi painted Judith Slaying Holofernes in 1620, it is located in Florence.
Background and Religious Significance
In the story, Holofernes is a general of the military sent to seize Judith's city. Hearing this, Judith takes matters into her own hands and dresses up and seduces Holofernes. Holofernes later drinks too much wine while dining with Judith and she takes that opportunity to behead him and save her city. The book of Judith was not included in Jewish and Protestant text, however it was included in Catholic editions of the Bible. The increased popularity of the story of Judith during the Baroque period was no coincidence, but rather one way artists capitalized on the portrayal of a victory of God's virtue, during the conflicts between the Catholic Church and the Protestant reformation.
Analysis
As previously stated, there are many different works of art created during the baroque period depicting the story of Judith beheading Holofernes. However, Artemisia's portrayal is by far my favorite. In comparison to other depictions I think being painted by a female artist brought certain factors to light that other artists failed to achieve. One of the things I like best about this piece is the way both the female subjects are active rather than passive. In other works, Judith is the only one taking any action, while her attendant merely watches by her side. Artemisia made the choice to have them both participate, which almost gives the illusion of a sort of feminist solidarity.
The chiaroscuro illustrated in this piece is also very obvious. The light shines almost solely on the subjects of the painting, almost as if Judith and her accomplice are rising out of the shadows. The contrast between the white bed and the darkness of the blood is also very deliberate and exaggerated. It follows the pattern of theatricality found in the baroque period. Another aspect of this piece I found interesting is the calmness of the expression on Judith and her accomplice. Perhaps Judith knowing she was acting with the trust of God gave her solace in her violent actions.
Works Cited
This painting is epic! I kind of wish I selected something on the more violent end of the spectrum, as it had gained momentum in this particular period of visual art, and just look at it! It's so suspenseful and just, engrossing. Your analysis is really great, and reasoning for selecting this particular depiction even more so. I've also never heard of the story of Judith and Holofernes, and likely won't forget it now.
ReplyDeleteHello Taylor!
ReplyDeleteWow! I haven't seen this painting before and it is a strong one. It is filled with elements such as drama and tension which are large elements of art from the Baroque era. Like I've seen in many pieces this week, you can feel the movement in the painting as you look at it. The man struggling and the women's strength in holding down the man, it presents an audience with many emotions and movements to follow. Thank you for sharing the background story of this piece as well!
I think it is quite interesting how much more violent art started to get in this era. The details around the action really cement this painting as an event that actually took place rather than just a story. I really like the way that you can tell this was an intense struggle, especially with the way she pulls on the knife and Holofernes is grabbing onto the other women.
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