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Old 21st August 2020, 09:21 PM   #11
shayde78
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Default Judith Beheading Holofernes; date disputed

Judith Beheading Holofernes; date disputed (as early as 1598 - as late as 1607).

While placing this piece in time has been challenging, I chose to include it here as it fits to the later attribution. Regardless, it shows what I think is an attempt to portray an 'exotic' blade. However, such blades were frequently represented in Medieval manuscripts (see thread of images from the Nuremberg Chronicle ), and seems to have been particularly portrayed in the hands of characters from the Jewish scriptures (aka Old Testament). While you're checking out that other link, take a moment to compare the artistic differences between what could be achieved through early printing methods, and full-scale oil paintings, and the overall changes in artistic representations. The Chronicle was compiled about a century before the works shown in this thread.

Back to the blade in Judith's hand - it is beautifully rendered and, if recreated in the round, would surely be a functional knife. Once again, the fullers are clearly shown and, to me, demonstrates that the artist was well acquainted with the work of actual bladesmiths. In the other thread, Vitrix noted that such a blade resembles that used as a maker's mark in some instances. He speculated that this might represent the sword of God. As Judith is working to protect her people in this scene, perhaps that is not a coincidental choice by Caravaggio.
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Last edited by shayde78; 21st August 2020 at 10:03 PM.
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