Artwork
Judith with the head of Holofernes
Judith with the head of Holofernes is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. It dates from 1530 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1530, this lime‑panel painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder portrays the biblical heroine Judith holding the severed head of the Assyrian general Holofernes. The work is part of the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
Subject & Meaning
Judith, shown in a red hat and dress, is depicted after the moment of triumph, clutching a sword in her right hand while presenting Holofernes’ head in her left. The calm expression on her face contrasts with the lifeless, inverted head, emphasizing the moral victory of virtue over tyranny.
Technique & Style
Cranach employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, casting the figures against a dark, indistinct background that heightens the three‑dimensional effect. The delicate rendering of Judith’s wavy hair, gold necklace, and the striped shirt beneath her dress demonstrates the artist’s fine attention to texture and detail.
History & Provenance
The painting has remained in the Austrian imperial collection since the 16th century, eventually entering the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s holdings. Its attribution to Cranach the Elder is supported by stylistic analysis and documented inventories of the Habsburg court.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving.
