Judith Slaying Holofernes

The story behind this painting is that Judith assassinated an Assyrian general Holofernes. The painting captured the moment when Judith accompanied with her maidservant beheaded Holofernes after he fell asleep drunk.

From my perspective, the artist wanted to show her emotions through her paintings. The emotion when she wants to release all her anger and vengeance. As if she wants to portray her anger and vengeance in a manner where she is Judith while the man who is being beheaded is the man who wronged her.

I was impressed on how the emotions kept lashing out as you stare into the painting. The way on how the maid will hold the man down while Judith beheads him. The way the man tries to resist and struggles to live. The darkness of the background to give emphasis on the subject. The way the blood spilled from different directions, the facial expressions on the subjects. There were a lot of things going on compared from the version done by Caravaggio.

Why should we accept Renaissance Style?

Ever since the Renaissance period we were able to discover and improve varieties of styles and techniques. Such examples are realistic style, gothic style, abstract style and many more other styles. Discovering these styles artists were able use these to create extraordinary paintings that turn into masterpieces, their greatest works of art of all time.

It also gives distinctive features to the artist’s painting and to the artist himself. Especially when you amaze people with your style and how you express yourself in painting. Like the painting of Mona Lisa, its distinctive style is the chiaroscuro. The way the shadow gives depth to the painting as if it is 3D. And the way it gives emphasis to the subject matter. Another great example is "St. John the Baptist".




ther styles such as "elongation", a type of style that figures are elongated more than they are in reality. One of the examples is "Madonna with a Long Neck by Parmigianino. The artist made the lady's neck in the painting longer to represent the gracefulness like the swan. And then the baby in arms is much bigger than a normal baby's size.


Each style is very unique that one is keen to perfect it and make it as his own. Many will admire and try to imitate it. It might offend some artists but on the bright side the art style will be carried on.