Art History With Allie

So this is one of my favorite paintings. It's called "Judith Slaying Holofornes." It's a story from the Book of Judith in the Apocrypha ("hidden"), the collection of books from the Bible that the way-back-when Protestant Church thought to be divinely uninspired. So they cut 'em out. Anyway, in the story, Judith, a beautiful widow chosen by God, uses her charms to enter the tent of Holofernes, an Assyrian general out to destroy Judith's hometown. Overcome with drink, he passes out and is decapitated by Judith. 100 points for awesome female figures in the Bible (sort of)!

I got to see this painting up close in the Uffizi Gallery of Florence. But what I didn't realize until, like, yesterday, is the artist who painted this masterpiece was a WOMAN! Artemisia Gentileschi, an Italian early Baroque painter. She was influenced by Caravaggio (who actually painted the same scene, except I believe Artemisia's is worlds better, no offense, 'vaggi). she was the first female painter to become a member of the Accademia di Arte del Disegno in Florence. Holla!

So the reason that I love this painting so much, besides the powerful women storyline, and the female painter behind it, is that it's so action-packed! Darling Judith is in mid-sever, blood spurting everywhere, on the sheets, on the nurse, on Judith... grody. Judith has this look of determination on her face. She's on a mission. A mission from God. To kill this evil bastard. So that's just what she's going to do. Although it doesn't look like an easy task. The nurse has to hold old Holo down from his wriggles, while Judith makes her way with a big sword through the tendons of his fat neck. Grooossss. Love it. Besides the gore, there are lovely light and shadows in the painting. Art is so exciting, amiright?!