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Masterpiece
| Artist | Francisco de Goya |
|---|---|
| Title | Judith and Holofernes |
| Year | Between 1819 and 1823 |
| Technique | Mural converted to canvas |
| Current location | Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain |
Judith and Holofernes
Judith and Holofernes depicts a scene from the apocryphal bible book Judith, in which Judith beheads Holofernes:
6Then she came to the pillar of the bed, which was at Holofernes' head, and took down his fauchion from thence, 7and approached to his bed, and took hold of the hair of his head, and said, Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, this day. 8And she smote twice upon his neck with all her might, and she took away his head from him.
The painting probably formed a pair with Saturn devouring one of his children: Saturn is biting off his victim's head, Judith is hacking off her victim's head. Both paintings concentrate on the action, leaving out all irrelevant details. They were probably painted next to each other, on both sides of the door.
