Judith met haar dienstmaagd 1525 - 1620

This sepia drawing depicts Judith and her maidservant and can be found at the Rijksmuseum. It was created by an anonymous artist. Here, Judith raises a sword aloft, standing triumphant with her maidservant after beheading Holofernes. It's a potent image, resonating with themes of female empowerment and resistance against oppression. The story of Judith, a Jewish widow who saved her city by seducing and then slaying the Assyrian general Holofernes, has been a recurring subject in art history, embodying courage and defiance in the face of patriarchal aggression. However, the lack of explicit details about the artist compels us to reflect on the countless untold stories, particularly of women artists, whose contributions remain obscured by the shadows of history. Judith's story is not just one of religious triumph, but a complex narrative of survival, resilience, and the negotiation of power within a patriarchal framework. This depiction leaves us contemplating the power of collective memory and the ongoing quest for recognition and representation.