Judith with the Head of Holofernes, and a Vision of the Virgin and Child Casting Out Evil, c. 1749, Gottfried Bernhard Göz; Artist: Formerly attributed to Unknown Italian, 5 3/4 x 6 13/16 in. (14.61 x 17.3 cm) (sheet), Pen, brown ink and wash, heightened with white gouache, Germany, 18th century, This wash drawing is a preparatory study for one of Gottfried Bernhard Göz's painted church ceilings, which were fixtures of 18th-century Bavaria. (The wash technique is oddly appropriate: Holofernes had subjugated Judith's people by cutting off their water supply, and it will be restored with his death.) The upper image of Mary stabbing a serpent revives the medieval idea of Judith and Holofernes as prefigurations of Mary and Satan. Judith is all rococo splendor as she whisks Holofernes' head from his bloody neck.
Keywords:
Judith, Head, Holofernes, Vision, Virgin, Child Casting Out Evil, 1749, Gottfried Bernhard Göz, Artist, Formerly attributed, Unknown Italian, sheet, Pen, brown ink, wash, heightened, white gouache, Germany, 18th century, wash drawing, preparatory study, Gottfried Bernhard Göz's painted church ceilings, fixtures, 18th-century Bavaria, wash technique, oddly appropriate, Holofernes, subjugated Judith's people, cutting off, water supply, will, restored, death, upper image, Mary stabbing, serpent revives, medieval idea, Judith, Holofernes, prefigurations, Mary, Satan, Judith, rococo splendor, whisks Holofernes' head, bloody neck
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