Judith Slaying Holofernes, with Old Woman Servant 1600 - 1700

This pen and brown ink drawing depicts Judith slaying Holofernes, assisted by an old woman servant. The story, from the Book of Judith, was popular in Early Modern Europe, carrying heavy religious and political symbolism. The image offers a gendered and political reading that would have spoken to a diverse audience. Holofernes was an Assyrian general planning to destroy the Jews, Judith took action into her own hands when the male leaders of her town did not. The image could serve to both reinforce and subvert traditional gender roles, presenting a female hero who saved her people through violence while simultaneously reinforcing the idea that women should be submissive and obedient. To understand this piece more fully, one might research the original story of Judith and Holofernes, the history of gender roles in Early Modern Europe, and the use of religious imagery for political purposes. Art gains significance through social and institutional context.