School of Caravaggio, 17th Century
Judith with the head of Holofernes,
oil on canvas, 95 x 126 cm, framed
Provenance:
Private European Collection
The subject of Judith and Holofernes enjoyed great popularity in the 16th century, following the Council of Trent after which it was officially included in the new translation of the Bible commissioned by Pope Sixtus V and Pope Clement VIII in 1592. The popularity of the subject continued into the early 17th century, appearing in the work of Caravaggio, for example in his painting commissioned by the Genoese banker, Ottavio Costa (Palazzo Barberini, Rome), and also in various interpretations by Artemisia Gentileschi, which have only been recently rediscovered.
Judith’s expression in the present picture is heroic and powerful, she is looking to the left, to the outer-pictorial space. Her maid Abra appears prominently beside her, holding a sack in one hand and a lamp in the other. The lamp is the only source of light in the painting, creating a dramatic effect of light and shadow on the robes and especially the faces of the sitters. The monochrome background arranges the figures as if on a stage - another Caravaggesque motif in the representation.
Specialist: Mark MacDonnell
Mark MacDonnell
+43 1 515 60 403
mark.macdonnell@dorotheum.at
25.10.2023 - 18:00
- Realized price: **
-
EUR 39,000.-
- Estimate:
-
EUR 15,000.- to EUR 20,000.-
School of Caravaggio, 17th Century
Judith with the head of Holofernes,
oil on canvas, 95 x 126 cm, framed
Provenance:
Private European Collection
The subject of Judith and Holofernes enjoyed great popularity in the 16th century, following the Council of Trent after which it was officially included in the new translation of the Bible commissioned by Pope Sixtus V and Pope Clement VIII in 1592. The popularity of the subject continued into the early 17th century, appearing in the work of Caravaggio, for example in his painting commissioned by the Genoese banker, Ottavio Costa (Palazzo Barberini, Rome), and also in various interpretations by Artemisia Gentileschi, which have only been recently rediscovered.
Judith’s expression in the present picture is heroic and powerful, she is looking to the left, to the outer-pictorial space. Her maid Abra appears prominently beside her, holding a sack in one hand and a lamp in the other. The lamp is the only source of light in the painting, creating a dramatic effect of light and shadow on the robes and especially the faces of the sitters. The monochrome background arranges the figures as if on a stage - another Caravaggesque motif in the representation.
Specialist: Mark MacDonnell
Mark MacDonnell
+43 1 515 60 403
mark.macdonnell@dorotheum.at
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| Auction: | Old Masters |
| Auction type: | Saleroom auction with Live Bidding |
| Date: | 25.10.2023 - 18:00 |
| Location: | Vienna | Palais Dorotheum |
| Exhibition: | 14.10. - 25.10.2023 |
** Purchase price incl. buyer's premium and VAT
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