Judith and Holofernes by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio is an oil painting on canvas executed around 1599 or, according to other sources, in 1603. The artwork depicts the beheading of the Assyrian general Holofernes by the Jewish widow Judith, as described in the Book of Judith in the Old Testament.
The scene is set in a dark space, with a red drape in the background that adds theatricality to the depiction. Judith is shown beheading Holofernes with a scimitar, while her maidservant Abra looks on, ready to gather the severed head in a basket. Judith is portrayed as an elegant young woman, perhaps modelled on a Roman courtesan such as Fillide Melandroni or Maddalena Antognetti. Holofernes’s face is often interpreted as a self-portrait of Caravaggio, symbolising his fear of death and violence.
Unique quality material
Print on handmade Amalfi paper Sheet size: 29 x 42 cm (11.4 x 16.5 in) With frame: 31 x 44 cm (12.2 x 17.3 in) Material: artwork printed on very fine handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges Frame: light brown beech wood and wood pulp, handmade
How an Amalfi art print is made, what the frame is like, what museum glass is, how long shipping takes, and how returns work: we’ve gathered all the answers on a single page.
