Judith with the Head of Holofernes and her Maidservant

The painting depicts Judith triumphant as she rests the severed head of Holofernes on a shelf in front of her, now streaked with the man’s blood. The biblical heroine, richly dressed in a damask bodice, with earrings and a string of pearls tied in her hair, holds the still-bloody sword in her hand and turns abruptly towards her maid Abra. The latter is holding up the heavy green curtain of the tent as if to invite her to leave the Assyrian general’s quarters. Although acquired as a work from the school of Pordenone, the painting exhibits no characteristics of Giovanni Antonio de’ Sacchis’s style. It neither references any known models by the artist nor aligns with his distinctive painting techniques. The severe treatment and flat composition starkly contrast with the Friuli master’s affinity for the rich, blended approaches seen in the works of Titian and Palma il Vecchio.
According to Marco Tanzi, the sharp profiles and drapery, along with a more restrained painting style, indicate that "Judith" may have originated from the artistic environment in Brescia during the early 1610s. At that time, Altobello Melone and Girolamo Romanino were active in the city, with younger artists like Moretto, Francesco Prata, and the Maestro di Nave also present. However, none of these artists seem to align perfectly with the painting in Palazzo Venezia. The artwork, less refined in drawing and color mixing, appears to be by a less prominent artist. Despite the difference in quality, interesting comparisons can be made with other works often attributed to Altobello and Romanino. Examples include the Madonna with Child and Saint John between Saints Valentine and Maurice in the church of San Valentino in Breno (circa 1508), which may have influenced the drapery, or the portrait of Virginio Orsini (1509) from Ghedi, now housed at the Ugo Da Como Foundation in Lonato. Additionally, a comparison can be drawn with the Lamentation over the Dead Christ dated 1510, created for the Chapel of the Passion in the Church of San Lorenzo in Brescia and now in the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, particularly with the depiction of the woman on the far left of the composition.
According to Vittoria Romani and Francesco Frangi, while the style of Judith is linked to Brescia, its compositional design and the appearance of the protagonist are influenced by the Venetian tradition of half-length figures of biblical heroines. It is thus plausible that the painting in Palazzo Venezia is an early copy of a model from the Venetian school, which may be lost or still unidentified.
The painting, in good condition, was added to the Palazzo Venezia Museum collection through the Maccariello donation, recorded on April 9, 2013.
The work in question has hitherto never been exhibited.

Mattia Giancarli

Entry published on 12 June 2025

Good.

The painting became part of the collection of the Museo di Palazzo Venezia with the Maccariello donation, recorded in the inventories on April 9, 2013.