Artwork
Judith with the Head of Holofernes
Judith with the Head of Holofernes is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Altdorfer. It dates from 1525 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Albrecht Altdorfer’s print *Judith with the Head of Holofernes* dates to around 1525. Executed as an engraving on laid paper, the work presents a stark monochrome composition in which the biblical heroine Judith holds the severed head of the Assyrian general Holofernes. The image is framed by a limited landscape and a few ancillary figures, emphasizing the dramatic moment of triumph.
Subject & Meaning
The scene derives from the deuterocanonical Book of Judith, in which the widow Judith beheads the sleeping Holofernes to save her city. Altdorfer captures the decisive instant, highlighting Judith’s resolve and the physicality of the act. The presence of two onlookers, one bearing a wreath, suggests a narrative of victory and divine favor.
Technique & Style
Rendered through fine incised lines, the engraving relies on cross‑hatching and stippling to model flesh, drapery, and the metallic sheen of the severed head. Altdorfer’s handling of light and shadow creates a three‑dimensional effect despite the flat medium. The composition reflects the Danube School’s preference for clear, linear detail combined with a restrained landscape backdrop.
History & Provenance
Created during Altdorfer’s mature period in Regensburg, the print was likely circulated among the Nuremberg Little Masters, a group known for small, meticulously crafted engravings. Surviving impressions are held in several European collections, indicating the work’s wide distribution among early 16th‑century collectors of devotional prints.
Context
Altdorfer, a pioneer of independent landscape painting, integrates a natural setting into a biblical narrative, a hallmark of the Danube School. By placing Judith’s act within a recognizable terrain, he aligns the moral triumph with the surrounding environment, reflecting Renaissance interests in merging human drama with the natural world.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480 – 12 February 1538) was a German painter, engraver and architect of the Renaissance working in Regensburg. Along with Lucas Cranach the Elder and Wolf Huber he is regarded to be the main…
