Judith and Holofernes
of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
1597 - 1598
Technique: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 145 x 195 cm
Rome, Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
Leggi..
Chiudi.
Gli artisti che hanno preceduto Caravaggio, attenuavano l’effetto orribile della decapitazione, mettendo in evidenza soprattutto il momento in cui Giuditta ripone in un sacco la testa mozzata del generale, che poi viene portata via dall’accampamento dalla serva.
Michelangelo Merisi sceglie, invece, di rappresentare l’apice spaventoso del racconto.
Questa drammatica scena è la prima di un gruppo di dipinti, dove the figures are treated with unusual clarity, hardness and with a steady light and precise, which tends to bring out the details more horrible, more gruesome and bloody scene, thus accentuating the effects of expression.
In this context it should be noted that the woman's face alongside Judith, with sagging skin and eyes wide open.
boundary is a figure of great artistic value, and contract with aggressive face, with wrinkles and pronounced his toothless mouth.
These, evidence that points to the limits of caricature, but without fall into the grotesque.
For this type of paintings, Caravaggio, using a rectangular canvas, so it can expand the distance between the characters.
In the scene, trying to wriggle Holofernes, while Judith performs the act of decapitation, using a scimitar and revealing shapely and muscular arms.
To give the face to the protagonist, returns to pose for Caravaggio, Phyllis Melandroni.
The same model who posed for the face to at St. Catherine of Alexandria, her hair streaked paths and penetrating dark eyes.
The costume is similar, with square neckline, puffed sleeves and bodice with shoulder straps.
The wrinkled hands, the slave Abra are full of nervousness and horror, while shaking and rubbing a cloth in which Judith will lay the severed head of Holofernes, and then take it as a trophy in the town of Betulia.
There are many factors that contribute to disclose the setting of the scene.
The background is dark, there is also a red drapery in the upper left and a small part of the bed on which lies the Assyrian general.
Michelangelo Merisi climate has remained faithful to the Biblical episode, doing decapitate the general Middle East with a dagger, but he also discounted the scene, as the clothing of Judith is typical of women 's his contemporary era.
The artist sets the emotional climax in the image of Holofernes, the glazed look would suggest that it is already dead, but the spasms and muscle tension indurrebbero a pensare il contrario.
E questo è il movimento che l’artista ha dato alla scena, facendo sì che questa vivesse agli occhi dell’osservatore.
Accanto a Giuditta, Michelangelo Merisi, ha inserito una serva molto vecchia e brutta, come simbolico contraltare alla bellezza e alla giovinezza della vedova.
In questo modo, l’autore, sottolinea le differenze tra le due figure e fa risaltare maggiormente la prima, che incarna grandi valori morali.
La poca credibilità di Giuditta as a widow and physical tension minimum at which she, shocked, cuts off the head of Holofernes, confirm the strong symbolic representation.
Unlike painting by Artemisia Gentileschi, Caravaggio, Judith is a symbol of salvation that God offers the Jewish people, raising also the symbol of the church and its salvific role, which is further evidenced by the white color of the Women's shirt, which evokes the harshness.
They say that Caravaggio had painted the picture thinking about the story of Beatrice Cenci, who along with his mother and brother, father killed the owner, after have fallen asleep with opium.
Philip Puglia
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