Judith with the Head of Holofernes

Judith with the Head of Holofernes

Title

Judith with the Head of Holofernes

[National Gallery of Ireland, revised 2013]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[National Gallery of Ireland, revised 2013]

Oak

[Cat. Dublin 1987, 8, No. 186]

The Old Testament heroine Judith decapitated Holofernes the besieger of her native town, after she had beguiled him with her allure. Wearing a green dress and a red, fur-lined coat Judith stands behind a balustrade upon which she has placed Holofernes' head. In her left hand Judith holds the sword

The Old Testament heroine Judith decapitated Holofernes the besieger of her native town, after she had beguiled him with her allure. Wearing a green dress and a red, fur-lined coat Judith stands behind a balustrade upon which she has placed Holofernes' head. In her left hand Judith holds the sword with which she completed the deed.

[Görres, cda 2016]

Attributions
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[National Gallery of Ireland, revised 2013]

Lucas Cranach the Elder

Former attribution from 1879-1981
[Cat. Dublin 1987, 9, No. 186]

Production date
about 1550

Production date

about 1550

[National Gallery of Ireland, revised 2013]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 45.9 x 34.2 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 45.9 x 34.2 cm

  • [National Gallery of Ireland, revised 2013]

  • 45.9 x 34.2 x 1.1 cm

  • [Cat. Dublin 1987, 8, No. 186]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia bottom left: winged serpent with dropped wings, facing right

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia bottom left: winged serpent with dropped wings, facing right

  • [cda 2013]

Owner
National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
Repository
National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
Location
Dublin
CDA ID
IE_NGI_NGI-186
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/IE_NGI_NGI-186/

Provenance

  • formerly in the collection of Mr. Cox, London
    [Cat. Dublin 1987, 9, No. 186]
  • purchased, 1879

[National Gallery of Ireland, revised 2013]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Cat. Dublin 1987 8-11 186 Figs. 4, 60
AuthorDavid Oldfield
EditorNational Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
TitleGerman Paintings in the National Gallery of Ireland. A complete catalogue
Place of PublicationDublin
Year of Publication1987
Show Literature
  • Judith with the Head of Holofernes, about 1550

Images

Compare images
  • overall

Technical studies

1987Technical Examination

Support

- single panel

[Cat. Dublin 1987, 8, No. 186]

1987Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • X-radiography

‘X-rays of no. 186 show that Judith’s hair was once flowing and unattached along the right side of her face. It is not known whether the change to the current hair style was made by the original painter or was a later alteration.’

[Cat. Dublin 1987, 9, No. 186]

Condition Reports

Date1987

'The support is in good condition. On the reverse of the panel, 0.6 cm from the upper border and right border has been shaved 0.5 cm. deep. The paint surface is generally in good condition. It suffers slightly from discoloured varnish, dense craquelure in Judith's face and retouching in her left cheek and forehead. X-rays reveal a vertical white line 1 cm. from the right border, possibly the demarcation of the limit of an earlier frame. The head of Holofernes and the white horizontal ledge were not visible when the painting entered the Gallery in 1879. They were revealed by a cleaning at an unknown date.'

[Cat. Dublin 1987, 8, 9, No. 186]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

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Entry with no author
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