Judith and Holofernes (Mantegna)
Encyclopedia
Judith and Holofernes is a painting by the Italian Renaissance
artist Andrea Mantegna
, dated to 1495, depicting the beheading of Holofernes by Judith
.
panels with Old Testament subjects, produced by Mantegna around 1495 and 1500.
The work was perhaps included in the Gonzaga collection acquired by Charles I of England
in 1628. Given to William Herbert, 6th Earl of Pembroke, it was inherited by his heirs until it was sold in London in 1917. After a series of different owners, it was acquired in New York
by Joseph E. Widener in 1923. In 1942 it was donated to the National Gallery of Art
in Washington, DC.
The ground, painted in diagonal perspective, is composed of stone and earth slabs, some of which are out of position.
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
artist Andrea Mantegna
Andrea Mantegna
Andrea Mantegna was an Italian painter, a student of Roman archeology, and son in law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna experimented with perspective, e.g., by lowering the horizon in order to create a sense of greater monumentality...
, dated to 1495, depicting the beheading of Holofernes by Judith
Judith and Holofernes
The bronze sculpture Judith and Holofernes , created by Donatello at the end of his career, can be seen in the Hall of Lilies , in the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, Italy. A copy stands in one of the sculpture's original positions on the Piazza della Signoria, in front of the Palazzo Vecchio...
.
History
The painting has been dated through comparison with similar grisailleGrisaille
Grisaille is a term for painting executed entirely in monochrome or near-monochrome, usually in shades of grey. It is particularly used in large decorative schemes in imitation of sculpture. Many grisailles in fact include a slightly wider colour range, like the Andrea del Sarto fresco...
panels with Old Testament subjects, produced by Mantegna around 1495 and 1500.
The work was perhaps included in the Gonzaga collection acquired by Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
in 1628. Given to William Herbert, 6th Earl of Pembroke, it was inherited by his heirs until it was sold in London in 1917. After a series of different owners, it was acquired in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by Joseph E. Widener in 1923. In 1942 it was donated to the National Gallery of Art
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden is a national art museum, located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, in Washington, DC...
in Washington, DC.
Description
The panel has brilliant and variegate colors, resembling a miniature. Judith is portrayed standing under the pink tent of Holofernes (whose foot can be seen on the right) immediately after beheading him, still holding the blade. She is dropping the head into a sack held by a maid.The ground, painted in diagonal perspective, is composed of stone and earth slabs, some of which are out of position.
Sources
- La Grande Storia dell'Arte - Il Quattrocento, Il Sole 24 OreIl Sole 24 OreIl Sole 24 Ore is an Italian national daily business newspaper owned by Confindustria, the Italian employers' federation.It was founded on 1965-11-09 as a merger between Il Sole, founded in 1865, and 24 Ore, founded in 1946. The headquarters are in Milan...
, 2005 - Kleiner, Frank S. Gardner's Art Through the Ages, 13th Edition, 2008
- Manca, Joseph. Andrea Mantegna and the Italian Renaissance, 2006