Why it matters
Klimt's Judith, framed in gold, confronts us with a half-closed gaze while Holofernes's head is almost cut off at the edge of the picture. With no sword and no narrative, she becomes a seductive femme fatale.
Did you know?
- It was painted in 1901; Klimt painted a second Judith in 1909.
- With no bloodied sword in sight, the picture invites association with Salome.
- His brother Georg made the metal frame, engraved 'Judith and Holofernes'.
Based on the Wikipedia article Judith I (CC BY-SA 4.0).
