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Judith leaving Bethulia
Paolo Veronese·c. 1558
Historical Context
Judith Leaving Bethulia (c. 1558), in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, depicts the Israelite heroine departing her besieged city to infiltrate the Assyrian camp — the beginning of her fateful mission to slay Holofernes. Veronese shows Judith accompanied by her maidservant, passing through the city gate into the dangerous territory beyond. This painting belongs to the same narrative cycle as the companion piece depicting Judith's reception by Holofernes, also in the Ashmolean. Together they illustrate Veronese's gift for serial narrative, sustaining dramatic tension across multiple canvases while maintaining the sumptuous visual quality that distinguishes his work from other Venetian painters of the period.
Technical Analysis
The composition uses architectural elements to frame Judith's departure, with attendant figures creating a sense of ceremony. Veronese's light palette and elegant figure types transform the military mission into a scene of graceful resolve.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice Judith accompanied by her maidservant passing through the city gate into dangerous territory — the beginning of her fateful mission to slay Holofernes.
- ◆Look at the architectural elements framing Judith's departure with attendant figures creating a sense of ceremony at the Ashmolean.
- ◆Observe how this painting sustains dramatic tension as part of a narrative cycle with the companion piece showing Judith's reception by Holofernes.
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