Judith with the Head of Holofernes
c. 1600-1610
Medium
Woodcut on laid paper
Dimensions
Sheet: 13.5 × 10.3 cm (5 3/8 × 4 1/16 in.)
Classification
woodcut
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
267890
Art Historical Context
Behold the gripping woodcut *Judith with the Head Holofernes* by Dutch artist Christoffel van Sic I, crafted around 1600-1610. This intimate print (just 13.5 × 10.3 cm) captures the biblical heroine Judith triumphantly holding the severed head of the Assyrian general Hfernes, a tale from the Book of Judith symbolizing faith's victory over tyranny. Van Sichem, a master woodcutter from Leiden active the Dutch Golden Age, specialized in detailed reproductive prints that brought dramatic narratives to life for a wide audience. Printed on laid paper—a hallmark of early modern European printmaking—...