Circle of Galizia Fede, Judith Victorious, 1630, Oil on Canvas

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Galizia Fede (Milan c. 1578 - c. 1630) Circle
Judith Victorious

Oil on canvas (116 x 91 cm. - In … Read more Galizia Fede (Milan c. 1578 - c. 1630) Circle
Judith Victorious

Oil on canvas (116 x 91 cm. - In an antique frame 149 x 125 cm.)

The work illustrates a captivating portrait of the heroine Judith: victorious, at the center of the painting, the woman is depicted in her regal robes, with precious ornaments and jewels, her sword still proudly clutched in one hand and the head of Holofernes displayed in the other.

This iconographic subject was much loved during the Renaissance, as it lent itself to the taste of the time for the representation of strong, often fatal passions, while also embodying great moral values.

Specifically, it focuses on the biblical episode of the killing of the Babylonian general Holofernes by the beautiful and courageous Jewish widow Judith, who had hatched a cunning plan to free her people from foreign domination. The woman waited until the end of a lavish banquet held in Holofernes's honor and, after seducing him, waited until he fell asleep before killing him. She is depicted here immediately after her feat, with her old servant Abra witnessing the scene.

There is a clear discrepancy between the pleased composure of her success and the grace and calm of the woman with her head in the foreground: the author has preferred to emphasize the heroine rather than the event itself, directing our gaze to Judith's virtues, who through her courage managed to defeat evil.

The depiction therefore has profound symbolic value: despite the atrocious act in which she is the protagonist, Judith embodies great moral values. Presented as a symbol of salvation offered by God to the Jewish people, it also becomes an emblem of the Church itself and its salvific role, emphasized by the ethereal white of the woman's complexion, which evokes purity.

The details of the jewelry she wears are noteworthy, highlighting her beauty, such as the belt around her waist, the robes covered in precious stones and pearls, the hairpin in her hair, and even the hilt of the sword, finished with great skill.

This is a valuable work, executed between the late 17th and early 18th centuries, still in the 16th-century style and with unmistakable Lombard stylistic features, which at first glance evoke the name of Fede Galizia (Milan, 1578–1630), a Baroque painter known primarily for her still lifes, although she also painted portraits and religious scenes.

The painter tackled this subject on numerous occasions; For example, our image can be compared, albeit revised, to the "Judith with the Head of Holofernes" in the Galleria Borghese in Rome, or to the same subject, signed and dated 1596, in the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota (**).

In the painting just mentioned, as in the proposed work, the painter's attention is not focused on the dramatic aspect of the scene, but rather on the portrait of Judith, on the perfect rendering of her clothes, fabrics, and jewelry.

We know, in fact, from the refinement with which Fede Galizia refined these details, that the painter benefited from the fame achieved by the workshop of her father Nunzio Galizia, who specialized in the production of paintings and miniatures as well as in the creation of splendid ceremonial dresses and theatrical costumes.

**Judith with the Head of Holofernes - Galizia Fede (Milan c. 1578 - c. 1630), 1596, oil on canvas, 120 × 94 cm.
Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The painting is sold complete with a beautiful gilded frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic . This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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