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Judith and Holofernes, chest (Cassone)
(1570s)
Medium
Walnut (Juglans sp.)
Measurements
75.7 × 180.2 × 62.2 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1955
Gallery location
16th & 17th Century Gallery - Painting and Sculpture
Mezzanine linked to Level 1, NGV International
About this work
This pair of cassoni is decorated with scenes from the story of Judith and Holofernes found in the Old Testament Apocrypha. Holofernes and the Assyrian army besieged the town of Bethulia where Judith, a beautiful young widow, lived. Pretending to flee the city, she slipped into the enemy camp and offered to betray the city to the Assyrians. Holofernes was smitten by Judith and gave a great feast at which he became intoxicated. Judith decapitated the stupefied Holofernes with his own sword and returned triumphant, with his head, to Bethulia. The arms on this chest are those of Alberti of Sansepolcro, Tuscany.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Italy
Accession Number
1547.2-D4
Department
International Decorative Arts
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited
Physical description
The decapitated body of Holofernes discovered; Judith returning in triumph to Bethulia with the head of Holofernes.