Judith and Holofernes was painted by artist Artemisia Gentileschi in 1620 with oil paint on canvas. The painting itself shows the biblical story of Judith, a woman who assassinated the general of the Assyrian army, Holofernes, due to the fact he had invaded her city, with the help of her accomplice Abra. The painting itself has two versions; left shows Gentileschi’s first attempt. Right shows her final piece. We will be talking about her right final piece going forward. In the piece, the main focus is the sword sawing through Holofernes’ neck. The colors are rich and vibrant, dark and lush. The lighting is golden and soft, with tons of black empty space around the subject, as if from a candle. Blood spurts from Holofernes’ neck and drips down the bed as he struggles and gasps in shock. Abra holds down his arms, while Judith holds down his head and pushes the sword through. The piece as a whole holds a very realistic style.
The colors are all warm-Judith and Abra’s dresses, Holofernes’ blanket, even the lighting itself. The cool colors all fade into the background. This shows the rawness of the piece-the fire. Its intensity. The shadows are bold, showing Judith’s secretive actions. The women are shown strong by way of bulky muscles and the way they press down upon Holofernes. The work flows smooth, as you focus on Holofernes’ shocked expression, then travel up to see the determined women that hold him down. These three figures are brightly lit, yet everything else fades away, because they are most important in this moment.
Gentileschi likely wanted to change the way Judith was viewed-instead of a delicate flower who must do this even though it’s dirty, she is a powerful woman protecting her city. Compared to other pieces, especially Caravaggio’s version, this is bloody and angry. She is not reveling in this bloodshed, yet she holds a fierce look. She putting all her strength into her actions, unlike how her male artistic counterparts show Judith delicately slicing though as if Holofernes’ neck is butter. Abra also holds him down, instead of idly standing by. Judith isn’t angelic, floaty, pretty. She looks like the average woman of her time.
Is this a good piece? Absolutely. Gentileschi was a woman painter during a time where women were heavily restricted and treated as being unable to do things without a man. She was trained by her father. It’s unlikely anyone else would’ve done so. Judith is a story about a woman, so who better to show her story than a woman? Men made Judith soft and pretty and apart from her actions. Gentileschi made her a real woman pushed into a horrible reality. Adding in backstory, Gentileschi was also assaulted by another artist, Tassi, and her screams were ignored by another woman who she considered a close friend. It could be said that her friend might’ve even planned for Gentileschi and Tassi to be alone. It’s thought that Judith and Abra show solidarity between women, the way Gentileschi wanted solidarity between her and her friend. There’s power behind this piece.
