Judith with the Head of Holofernes
Andrea Mantegna (Italian; ca. 1431–1505) or follower, possibly Giulio Campagnola (Italian; 1482–after 1514)
ca. 1495/1500
Tempera on panel
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
It grew late and his staff hurried away. Bagoas closed the tent from the outside, having shown out those who still lingered in his lord's presence. They went to their beds wearied with too much drinking, and Judith was left alone in the tent with Holofernes who had collapsed wine-sodden on his bed. Judith then told her maid to stay just outside the bedroom and wait for her to come out, as she did every morning. She had let it be understood she would be going out to her prayers and had also spoken of her intention to Bagoas. By now everyone had left Holofernes, and no one, either important or unimportant, was left in the bedroom. Standing beside the bed, Judith murmured to herself: “Lord God, to whom all strength belongs, prosper what my hands are now to do for the greater glory of Jerusalem; now is the time to recover your heritage and to further my plans to crush the enemies arrayed against us.” With that she went up to the bedpost by Holofernes's head and took down his scimitar; coming closer to the bed she caught him by the hair and said, “Make me strong today, Lord God of Israel!” Twice she struck at his neck with all her might, and cut off his head. She then rolled his body off the bed and pulled down the canopy from the bedposts. After which, she went out and gave the head of Holofernes to her maid who put it in her food bag. The two then left the camp together, as they always did when they went to pray. Once they were out of the camp, they skirted the ravine, climbed the slope to Bethulia and made for the gates. From a distance, Judith shouted to the guards on the gates, “Open the gate! Open! For the Lord our God is with us still, displaying his strength in Israel and his might against our enemies, as he has done today!” (Book of Judith 13: 1–11)