Judith standing and looking up, holding the head of Holofernes in her left hand and a sword in her right, tents in the background, after Reni

Art Historical Context

This striking engraving and etching captures the dramatic climax of the biblical story of Judith, the courageous Jewish widow who saves her people by beheading the Assyrian general Holofernes. Standing tall with the severed head in one hand and the sword in the other, gazes upward in a moment triumph and divine reflection, while the enemy tents fade into the background. The composition is based on a painting by the celebrated Italian Baroque master Guido Reni, whose elegant figures and emotional intensity made this subject a favorite among 17th-century artists. Created between roughly 1718 and 1761 by British printmaker John Tinney and French engraver Nicolas Gabriel Dupuis, the work translates Reni’s painting into the detailed language of engraving and etching. These techniques allowed intricate lines and tonal effects to reach a broad audience, turning celebrated paintings into affordable and widely circulated images. Such prints played a vital role in spreading artistic ideas across Europe during the 18th century. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection of drawings and prints, this sheet exemplifies how reproductive prints preserved and popularized Baroque masterpieces long after the original paintings left their studios. Its large scale and careful craftsmanship invite viewers to appreciate both the heroic narrative and the technical skill behind its creation.

About the Artist

Guido Reni|John Tinney|Nicolas Gabriel Dupuis · 1575–1642

Guido Reni (1575–1642) was one of the most celebrated Italian painters of the Baroque era and the dominant figure of the Bolognese School. Born into a family of musicians in Bologna, he trained first with Denys Calvaert before joining the influential Accademia degli Incamminati led by Ludovico Carracci. Reni achieved international fame through his idealizing style that combined Baroque dynamism wi...