women-artists
Judith Slaying Holofernes
by Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1656)
Year:1612-13
Collection:Museo di Capodimonte Naples
Medium:Oil on canvas
Size:158.8 × 125.5 cm (62 1/2 × 49 3/8 in.)
About this artwork
One of the most powerful and visceral depictions of the biblical heroine Judith beheading the Assyrian general Holofernes. Gentileschi's unflinching treatment shows Judith and her maidservant actively engaged in the violent act, their physical strength and determination vividly rendered. The dramatic Caravaggesque lighting and realistic depiction of blood create intense psychological impact. Painted shortly after Gentileschi's traumatic experience with assault and trial, the work has been interpreted as a powerful assertion of female agency and justice, though the artist painted this subject throughout her career as demonstration of technical and dramatic mastery.
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