Judith with the head of Holofernes in her left hand and a sword in her right hand, accompanied by a female attendant, from a series of four Old Testament subjects

Art Historical Context

Behold this dramatic engraving, *Judith with the Head of Holones in Her Left Hand and a Sword in Her Hand, Accompanied by a Female Att*, created in 1606 by engraver Oliviero Gatti designs by the Renaissance master Giovanni Antonio da Pordenone ( Antonio de Sacchis). of a rare series of four Old Testament, it captures the biblical heroine Judith triumphantly holding the severed head of the Assyrian general Holofernes her sword still poised, with a loyal attendant by her side. Measuring just 7 9/16 x 5 1/8 inches, this intimate print pulses with tension and heroism. Drawn from the Book of Judith, the scene celebrates a tale of cunning and courage: a Jewish widow who seduces and beheads Holofernes to liberate her besieged city. Pordenone, a Venetian painter known for his dynamic Mannerist style—blending robust figures with emotional intensity—inspired countless depictions of this empowering story during the Renaissance. Gatti's skilled engraving technique, using incised lines on a metal plate to produce rich, detailed reproductions, made such grand compositions accessible to collectors and scholars beyond Italy's elite circles. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011), this work highlights prints' role in spreading religious iconography. Judith's fierce gaze and the stark contrast of sword, head, and flowing drapery remind us of art's power to immortalize moral triumphs and female agency in a patriarchal world.