Why it matters
Caravaggio chose the moment of greatest dramatic impact: Judith drawing the blade through Holofernes's neck while her maid Abra looks on. The figures are lit theatrically from the side against an inky black background.
Did you know?
- It was rediscovered in 1950.
- It was commissioned by the Genoese banker Ottavio Costa.
- A second Judith, dated 1607 and disputedly attributed to Caravaggio, was found by chance in 2014.
Based on the Wikipedia article Judith Beheading Holofernes (Caravaggio) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
