Judith approaching the Tent of Holofernes

This charming cabinet picture is executed on a black stone - commonly described as ‘marble’ - that was quarried in Verona. The choice of a dark-colored stone is particularly effective for this nocturnal scene, allowing the artist to exploit the support to intensify the dramatic interplay of light. The painter picks out the delicate highlights in Judith’s plumed headdress, the oil lamp raised by the maid, and the discarded armor and sword beside the sleeping Holofernes. Conceived on an intimate scale, the work has the character of a cabinet picture.
We are grateful to Mattia Vinco for pointing out the attribution, and for drawing our to the literature on this painting.