Judith Cuts off the Head of Holofernes c. 16th century

Editor: This print depicts Judith Slaying Holofernes. It's an anonymous work, undated, at the Harvard Art Museums. The drama is intense. What symbols stand out to you in this piece? Curator: Look at Judith, her gaze steady, a powerful sword in hand. This echoes centuries of visual associations: courage, divine favor, and righteous action. It speaks to the enduring image of female strength and defiance against oppression. What do you think about the setting? Editor: It adds to the narrative, doesn’t it? The tent, the battlefield… all symbols of power, danger, and divine intervention. Curator: Precisely. And the contrast between the intimate act of violence and the expansive battleground beyond reinforces the idea that individual actions can have monumental consequences. It’s a potent message, then and now.