Judith, Her Maidservant, and Holofernes - Baroque Art Analysis
Judith and Holofernes (c. 1620-1621) Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
Background:
Painted by an Italian female painter who represents a biblical story of Judith killing an Assyrian general. The story says the general was going to conquer Judith's homeland. She responded by getting dressed up and having dinner with him. He then drank so much that Judith and her maidservant Abra could work together and dismiss the threat. If you follow the link you will find more about how Artemisia related this painting to a personal experience of being raped by a former art teacher. The medium is oil paint on canvas and the technique is impeccable!
Observations:
At first glance, it is apparent that this is a Baroque work of art due to the clarity, and tenebrism. I appreciate how the figures overlap creating an intimacy that draws my eye straight to the blade that cuts Holofernes neck. This is a very intense painting filled with a feeling of urgency and despair. It is hard to explain everything I feel when I see this painting because it shows so much feminism that is far ahead of this time period. It shows perseverance and care but does so in a manner that brings the dark realities of our world to light.
Yes, I would most definitely own this, it is so meaningful. This could be a great social justice piece.
Additionally, the textures throughout give a realism that feels modern.
Science & Blood:
This painting connects to the expansion of scientific knowledge in how the blood is distinctly placed. It is theorized that Artemisia was friends with Galileo who had studied parabolic trajectory. Below is a picture of one of his notes.
The trajectory of the blood in the painting is in line with the law of motion. Here is a quote from one article that explains this clearly.
In essence, this law of motion states that for a projectile to come to rest from a state of motion, energy must be dissipated by resistance over time, thus making it describe a parabolic arc in space. This was a new idea, and one Galileo explained graphically via drawing out the different paths that cannonballs would make as they rained down to earth—describing the same pattern that gives such a vivid quality to the blood erupting from Holofernes’s neck in Gentileschi’s indelible painting.
One aspect I like about this work is how Holofernes is placed on his back which is a vulnerable position then he is not clothed instead having a sheet placed over him. To me, this could relay to how Artemisia may have felt during her experience being raped - helpless. I also like how Abra is there helping Judith, the need for women to have a healing community after trauma is so great. Then there is Holofernes grabbing at Abra's neck as she pushes him down which I see as having meaning in how our friends are affected when something bad happens to us as well. I think this is a piece a lot of girls in Alaska could easily relate to, which in my mind, gives it a beauty in and of itself.
As you can see someone who painted such accurately without experiencing the circumstance must have gotten outside knowledge. At this time who else besides Galileo? Overall, this work of Judith, Abra, and Holofernes carry not only many emotions, but the details that should be praised. I'm happy our world has been blessed with people like Artemisia.
“Baroque Art and Architecture Movement Overview.” The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/movement/baroque-art-and-architecture/.
McKay, Brett & Kate. “The Basics of Art: The Baroque Period.” The Art of Manliness, 25 Sept. 2021, https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/knowledge-of-men/the-basics-of-art-the-baroque-period/.
White, Katie. “Artemisia Gentileschi's 'Judith Beheading Holofernes' Is a Touchstone of Feminist Art History. Here Are 3 Things You Might Not Know about the Gory Masterpiece.” Artnet News, Artnet News, 15 Oct. 2020, https://news.artnet.com/art-world/artemisia-gentileschi-judith-beheading-holofernes-1897872.
Hi Ava! First I just want to say that I've always really loved this painting. For one thing, it was made by one of the few remembered female artists of the Renaissance/Baroque period. Artemesia's story is just so amazing, and I truly admire the way she used her past abuse to create incredible works of art. Another thing I love about this painting is its realism. Many paintings of Judith and Holfernes that I've seen don't seem to portray the event in its true, bloody, reality. In this work you can see the look of determination and concentration on her face, how she's leaning forward to try and get some leverage, and the spurting blood. Severing a human head takes a lot of work due to all the tendons, muscles, and vertebrae. Artemesia definitely understood this and you can see how Judith is really muscling through it.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, thank you for sharing, great post!
I like your blog. I did mine on the original painting of Judith Beheading Holofernes by Caravaggio. I agree with you this painting does give a feeling of urgency and despair. The original painting did not give off the sense of urgency to me but did show despair. I like how you point out that the way Holofernes’ position on the bed may play into how Judith might have felt in being raped. It really does appear to show helplessness. The painting shows a great deal of detail and I like how they stand out from the background. I think I like that aspect of Baroque art.
ReplyDeleteI like this blog you have created. This is my first time seeing this beautiful piece. The emotions you could feel from this piece is just amazing. How every detail is placed makes it seem like a movie on pause.
ReplyDelete