Judith with the Head of Holofernes

Title

[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

[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

Author	David Oldfield
Editor	National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
Title	German Paintings in the National Gallery of Ireland. A complete catalogue
Place of Publication	Dublin
Year of Publication	1987

Show Literature

Judith with the Head of Holofernes, about 1550

Images

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

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'Judith with the Head of Holofernes', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/IE_NGI_NGI-186/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'Judith with the Head of Holofernes', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/IE_NGI_NGI-186/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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