Judith with the Head of Holofernes
c. 1497
Medium
Engraving on paper
Dimensions
Sheet: 31.5 × 22.6 cm (12 7/16 × 8 15/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
4203
Art Historical Context
Behold the dramatic *Judith with the Head Holofernes*, an engraving by Giovanni Antonio da Brescia, around 1497. This Renaissance print captures the biblical heroine Judith triumphantly holding the severed head of Assyrian general Holofer, a tale from the Book of Judith symbolizing courage, faith, and the triumph of virtue over tyranny. Da Brescia, a skilled Italian engraver from Brescia active in Venice, masterfully renders the scene on a sheet measuring 31.5 × 22.6 cm, now housed in the Art Institute Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department. Engravings like this one were revolutionary in th...