Judith Beheading Holofernes

E66703

Judith Beheading Holofernes is a dramatic Baroque painting by Caravaggio depicting the biblical heroine Judith decapitating the Assyrian general Holofernes with intense realism and emotional tension.


Statements (44)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Baroque painting
painting
artForm oil painting
artHistoricalSignificance important example of Baroque drama in painting
key work in Caravaggio’s mature style
artisticMovementCharacteristic dramatic realism
strong contrasts of light and dark
artisticPeriod Italian Baroque
author Caravaggio
basedOn Biblical narrative
Book of Judith
colorPalette chiaroscuro contrasts
countryOfOrigin Italy
creator Caravaggio
depictionType history painting
depicts Holofernes
Judith
biblical story of Judith and Holofernes
decapitation of Holofernes
genre religious painting
hasInfluenced Artemisia Gentileschi’s Judith paintings
later Baroque depictions of Judith
iconographicTheme Judith and Holofernes
languageOfWork none
mainCharacter Holofernes
Judith
Judith’s maidservant
medium oil paint
movement Baroque
narrativeLocation tent of Holofernes
notableFor dramatic lighting
emotional tension
intense realism
portraysEmotion Holofernes’s terror
Judith’s determination
maidservant’s complicity
portraysMoment instant of decapitation
religiousTradition Christianity
style tenebrism
subjectMatter Old Testament story
theme deliverance of Israel
faith
heroism
violence

Referenced by (7)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Artemisia Gentileschi ("Judith Slaying Holofernes")
Caravaggio
Gustav Klimt ("Judith and the Head of Holofernes")
notableWork
Judith Beheading Holofernes ("Judith and Holofernes")
iconographicTheme
Judith Beheading Holofernes ("Judith")
mainCharacter
Palazzo Barberini ("Judith Beheading Holofernes by Caravaggio")
notableWorkContained
The Black Paintings ("Judith y Holofernes (Judith and Holofernes)")
notableWorkInSeries

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