Where can I see Judith Holding the Head of Holofernes?

Judith Holding the Head of Holofernes is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Judith Holding the Head of Holofernes?

Judith Holding the Head of Holofernes is associated with Flemish Baroque painting.

Artwork

Judith Holding the Head of Holofernes

Judith Holding the Head of Holofernes is an oil painting. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work depicts Judith, dressed in a vivid yellow garment, clutching the severed head of Holofernes by his hair.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting shows Judith clutching the severed head of Holofernes, a scene drawn from the deuterocanonical Book of Judith.

The painting shows Judith clutching the severed head of Holofernes, a scene drawn from the deuterocanonical Book of Judith. Judith, a Jewish hero who beheads the Assyrian general to save her people, embodies courage and divine favor, while Holofernes' decapitated head symbolizes the triumph over tyranny and foreign oppression. The work functions as a visual sermon on faith-driven resistance and the subversion of power, using the dramatic moment of victory to explore themes of justice, sacrifice, and the protective role of the chosen people.

Technique & Style

The artwork is an oil painting executed on canvas, reflecting the religious genre and narrative drawn from the Book of Judith. It depicts Judith presenting the severed head of Holofernes, a composition derived from Cristofano Allori’s work housed in the Rijksmuseum. The painting measures 138 cm in height by 116 cm in width and was created in 1700, employing oil paint as its medium. Its stylistic qualities align with Baroque-era religious art, emphasizing dramatic chiaroscuro and intimate narrative focus.

The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and was produced using traditional oil-on-canvas techniques, contributing to its enduring formal presence within Dutch Golden Age-inspired religious imagery.

History & Provenance

The work is an oil painting on canvas executed in 1700, depicting Judith and Holofernes based on the Book of Judith. It belongs to the religious art genre and measures 138 by 116 centimeters. The painting is part of the Rijksmuseum Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Art Collection and is housed in the Rijksmuseum depot. Its creation follows an earlier work by Cristofano Allori, and it is classified as a religious painting.

The painting is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it forms part of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Art Collection and is stored at the depot of the Rijks Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE). Its canvas measures 138 cm in height by 116 cm in width, and it is catalogued as a religious work depicting Judith with the beheaded Holofernes, based on the Book of Judith. No exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.

The painting is catalogued as a religious work depicting Judith with the beheaded Holofernes, based on the Book of Judith. No exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.

Overview

The work depicts Judith, dressed in a vivid yellow garment, clutching the severed head of Holofernes by his hair. A servant, veiled in white, observes the act, while a basket rests on the floor nearby. The composition is set against a deep, shadowed background that isolates the figures, emphasizing the dramatic moment.

Artist & collection

Museum

Rijksmuseum

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