Judith and Her Maidservant

Artemisia Gentileschi painted Judith and Her Maidservant around 1610, one of her earliest treatments of this subject that would preoccupy her throughout her career. At this early stage, trained in her father Orazio's studio in the Caravaggesque tradition, Artemisia's treatment already shows the physical directness and psychological concentration that would develop into her mature style. The two women share the labor of concealing Holofernes's severed head in a basket — the Old Testament sequel to the beheading — in a composition that emphasizes their collaborative agency. The candlelight illuminates the action from below, creating dramatic shadows that both conceal and reveal the drama of the escape.

The strong Caravaggesque lighting from the left models the two women with bold contrasts, Artemisia's early technique showing the direct influence of her father Orazio's smooth, precise manner.