Judit met het hoofd van Holofernes 1624 - 1636

Curator: Standing before us is Claude Mellan’s engraving, “Judit met het hoofd van Holofernes,” created sometime between 1624 and 1636. The piece resides here at the Rijksmuseum, a striking example of Italian Renaissance and Baroque influences merging within a single print. Editor: You know, what grabs me first is the kind of cool detachment in Judith's face. Like she's thinking, "Right, another Tuesday night, another tyrannical warlord decapitated." But seriously, it is more about what isn’t shown here. Curator: That’s an astute observation. Mellan wasn’t just interested in portraying the violence of the act. It’s important to consider this print circulated during a time of religious and political upheaval. Images of strong, virtuous women were often deployed to project specific ideals about governance, piety and civic duty. Editor: Exactly! And Judith here is less about gore and more a symbol of that triumph, a poised deliverer, sort of. I find that far more unnerving than gallons of fake blood. I am so desensitized, the clean execution actually speaks louder to me. Curator: And also let’s not overlook Mellan’s skill. He translates a fairly complex history into this delicate network of lines. Engravings had this incredible capacity to spread ideas far and wide, to bring Biblical narratives into private homes and shape public opinion. Editor: Thinking of all of that, the small size seems powerful— it’s portable defiance, resistance that you can carry under your coat. Like, did you know the resistance is hiding in your satchel? Curator: Indeed. So much of art isn’t just what's on the surface, it’s the history of how an image functions. The print invites us to engage with it across these historical moments. Editor: Yes. Well, after looking at this Judith, I’m ready to carry my own miniature rebellion out into the world. Maybe start with a strongly worded tweet. Curator: A worthy pursuit, perhaps inspired by Claude Mellan's art!