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Judith

A work made of engraving on ivory laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of engraving on ivory laid paper.

Date:

c. 1495

Artist:

Israhel van Meckenem the Younger
German, c. 1440/45-1503

About this artwork

The biblical heroine Judith freed the Hebrews from Assyrian oppression by seducing the general Holofernes and decapitating him in his drunken stupor. Here Israhel van Meckenem depicted Judith stuffing Holofernes’s head into her maidservant’s pouch while a battle rages in the background. Van Meckenem’s depiction of the gruesome act is matter-of-fact. While the decapitated body remains visible, the sword is clean and the setting devoid of blood.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Israhel van Meckenem, the younger

Title

Judith

Place

Germany (Artist's nationality)

Date

1490–1500

Medium

Engraving on ivory laid paper

Dimensions

Sheet trimmed within platemark: 21.4 × 31.8 cm (8 7/16 × 12 9/16 in.)

Credit Line

Bequest of Mrs. Potter Palmer, Jr.

Reference Number

1956.821

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/3711/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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