Judith and Holofernes

The Return of Judith to Bethulia, Sandro Botticelli, 1472

Speaking of beheading, let's talk a little bit about Judith and Holofernes. This classic Bible story tells of a beautiful, young, Jewish widow whom was called upon by her community to entice the Assyrian general, Holofernes, to withdraw his army from their siege on Israel. 

The story was particularly popular during the Counter Reformation because it upheld chastity and virtue in the symbol of Judith. Although asked to seduce Holofernes, Judith uses her wit instead of her body to trick Holofernes. She visits his tent over a course of three nights. On the third night she gets him abundantly drunk until he passes out - think Elizabeth Swan tricking Captain Jack Sparrow to drink himself to sleep on the marooned island. While he is asleep, Judith cuts off his head and brings it back to her town as a new hero. 

Judith, Jan Sanders van Hemessen, 1540

Many early depictions of Judith only show the aftermath of the beheading. Considered to be painted from the male perspective, some paintings show her nude and even as a femme fatale even though that goes against the message of the story. Caravaggio was the first painter to deviate from this tradition. He captures the psychological moment of the killing - providing a truer illustration to the Bible story. Judith holds the sword incorrectly, like a woman who had never held a sword before, which gives an authenticity to the moment. Caravaggio is the first to show the gore of the scene, though his blood is far from realistic compared to his usual naturalism. This Italian painter was inspired by Northern traditions, including the juxtaposition of young and old to emphasize the Neo-platonic virtues of the young and beautiful. 

Judith Beheading Holofernes, Caravaggio, 1598

Artemisia Gentileschi furthers Caravaggio's realistic approach to the Judith story. Her painting is an obvious emulation of his composition and style, but with a few touches that could only be captured from a woman's perspective. In this version, Judith is a common woman with dark hair and a strong build, similar to Artemisia's own body. Her glower is more believable for the act than the questioning look of Caravaggio's ideal beauty. In Artemisia's painting, the maid is not an onlooker, but actively takes a part in the murder, helping to hold down the struggling Holofernes. Artemisia's painting was actually commissioned by a woman, but her husband said it was unseemly for a woman to kill a man, and the painting was hidden away in a back hall until after his death. 

Judith and Holofernes, Artemisia Gentileschi, 1611

Artemisia was well known for painting female subjects through a gaze different than her male counterparts. The comparisons of such paintings make for an easily researched paper. So I will leave you to continue your research on your own. 

Resources: 
Doot Bokelman, "Art History Survey II" (lecture, Nazareth College, Rochester, NY, Spring 2012).
Doot Bokelman, "17th Century Baroque Art" (lecture, Nazareth College, Rochester, NY, Spring 2014).