Holofernes

E334869

Holofernes is a biblical Assyrian general best known as the victim of Judith’s beheading in the deuterocanonical Book of Judith, a scene frequently depicted in Western art.

All labels observed (2)

Label Occurrences
Holofernes canonical 7
Holofernes is an Assyrian general 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (43)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Assyrian general
biblical figure
fictional character
appearsIn Book of Judith
associatedWith Assyrian siege of Bethulia
surface form: siege of Bethulia
associatedWithEvent Judith’s beheading of Holofernes
commanded Assyrian forces against Bethulia
deathCause beheading
depictedInWork Judith Beheading Holofernes
surface form: Judith Beheading Holofernes (Caravaggio)

Judith Slaying Holofernes (Artemisia Gentileschi)
Judith and Holofernes (Botticelli, workshop)
Judith and Holofernes
surface form: Judith and Holofernes (Donatello)

Judith with the Head of Holofernes by Giorgione or Titian
surface form: Judith and Holofernes (Giorgione, attributed)

Judith and Holofernes (Tintoretto)
Judith with the Head of Holofernes
surface form: Judith with the Head of Holofernes (Lucas Cranach the Elder)
describedAs Assyrian general in the Book of Judith
employer Nebuchadnezzar II
surface form: Nebuchadnezzar II (as depicted in the Book of Judith)
frequentlyDepictedIn Western art
gender male
headDisplayedIn Bethulia
surface form: Bethulia (as sign of deliverance, in the narrative)
iconographicTheme Judith beheading Holofernes
Judith with the Head of Holofernes
surface form: Judith with the head of Holofernes
influenceOnCulture inspired Baroque paintings and sculptures
inspired numerous Renaissance artworks
used as a motif of divine justice in art and literature
killedBy Judith
languageOfName Hebrew (biblical text tradition)
literaryGenre deuterocanonical narrative
narrativeFunction foil to Judith’s courage and piety
narrativeOutcome killed while drunk in his tent by Judith
notableFor being beheaded by Judith
opponent Bethulia
Judith
portrayedAs arrogant and overconfident
powerful military leader
religiousTradition Christianity
Judaism
roleInNarrative enemy general threatening Israel
scripturalStatus apocryphal character in many Protestant traditions
deuterocanonical character in Catholic and Orthodox canons
servesAs commander of Nebuchadnezzar’s army
symbolicMeaning represents enemies of God’s people
represents tyrannical oppression in Christian exegesis

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (8)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Book of Judith mainCharacter Holofernes
Book of Judith characterRole Holofernes
this entity surface form: Holofernes is an Assyrian general
Juditha triumphans subject Holofernes
Juditha triumphans character Holofernes