The Flight of Achior from the Camp of Holofernes

The Flight of Achior from the Camp of Holofernes (c. 1558), in the Ashmolean Museum, depicts an episode from the Book of Judith in which Achior, the Ammonite commander who warned Holofernes of Israel's divine protection, is expelled from the Assyrian camp in punishment for his words. This relatively obscure biblical episode gave Veronese scope for dramatic action painting, with soldiers forcing Achior toward the Israelite lines. The work forms part of the same Old Testament narrative cycle as the Judith paintings at the Ashmolean, likely decorating a single Venetian room with a continuous visual narrative. Veronese's gift for rendering dynamic movement and military costume enlivens this rarely depicted subject.

The dynamic composition captures the urgency of flight with animated figures and dramatic gestures. Veronese's palette combines martial colors with his signature luminosity, creating a scene of tense narrative action.