Judith with the Head of Holophernes 1647 - 1705

This oil on canvas, titled Judith with the Head of Holophernes, was created by an anonymous artist. It depicts a story from the deuterocanonical Book of Judith. This book was excluded from the Hebrew Bible and remains a point of contention between different religious traditions. The painting captures the moment after Judith, a Jewish widow, has infiltrated the camp of Holophernes, an Assyrian general, and assassinated him. The act, laden with gendered and political significance, becomes a symbol of resistance against oppression. Judith, often seen as a figure of female empowerment, is portrayed here as a beacon of hope. Consider how this artwork challenges or reinforces prevailing gender roles and expectations, and what the absence of the artist's identity adds to our interpretation.