Who painted Judith and Holofernes?

Judith and Holofernes was painted by Horace Vernet in 1828.

Where can I see Judith and Holofernes?

Judith and Holofernes is held by Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

What movement is Judith and Holofernes?

Judith and Holofernes is associated with French Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Judith and Holofernes?

Museum-quality prints of Judith and Holofernes are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Judith and Holofernes

Horace Vernet , 1828

Judith and Holofernes is an oil painting by the French Romanticist artist Horace Vernet. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

About this work

Overview

Judith and Holofernes is an 1828 oil painting by Horace Vernet, executed during the French Romantic period. It belongs to the religious genre, deviating from the artist's more common themes of battle scenes, portraiture, and Orientalist subjects.

Subject & Meaning

The work illustrates a pivotal moment from the biblical narrative of Judith, where she beheads the Assyrian general Holofernes, symbolizing courage and divine intervention in the face of overwhelming odds.

Technique & Style

While specific technical details of the painting are not highlighted, it is characteristic of Vernet's broader oeuvre, which often blended meticulous detail with the expressive emotionalism of Romanticism, though the extent of these elements in Judith and Holofernes is not specified.

History & Provenance

Created in 1828, the painting is part of the collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, indicating its recognized value within the realm of 19th-century French art.

Context

Emerging from the French Romantic period, the painting reflects the era's emphasis on emotion, drama, and historical/biblical themes, yet stands out in Vernet's catalog for its religious subject matter.

Legacy

As a work by a prominent figure of French Romanticism, Judith and Holofernes contributes to the broader understanding of the period's artistic explorations, though its specific impact or influence on subsequent art movements is not detailed.

Own this work as a print

Artist & collection

Artist

Horace Vernet

Émile Jean-Horace Vernet (French pronunciation: ; 30 June 1789 – 17 January 1863), better known as Horace Vernet, was a French painter of battles, portraits, and Orientalist subjects.