Writing sampleWriting Sample Shivani Gandhi History of Art MABibliography

Writing sample Shivani Gandhi History of Art MA

Antiveduto Grammatica Judith and Holofernes A.D. 1620-‐25 Shivani Gandhi 12/10/2012

Writing Sample Shivani Gandhi History of Art MA

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The Book of Judith, which originates in the Old Testament, celebrates the

heroic victory of Judith over the Assyrian ruler Holofernes. This story was extremely

popular during the Renaissance, as it allowed artists to depict various versions of the

story in their individual style. Through their work, artists were able to share their

perceptions of events described in the book. Over the centuries, Judith – the

protagonist – underwent varying depictions. Her portrayal changed significantly

during the Renaissance years. As an example, in Caravaggio’s portrayal - Judith

beheading Holofernes – he symbolizes lust and violence. In contrast, Michelangelo’s

Judith and Holofernes on the Sistine Chapel ceiling shows a straightforward

representation of the story symbolizing Judith’s purity. Artists portrayed Judith with

sexual iconographies during the Baroque era, which eventually became the norm.

However, Antiveduto Grammatica’s representation of Judith with the head of

Holofernes was interpreted differently than the popular norm. Grammatica was a

popular artist in Rome, profoundly influenced by artists such as Caravaggio and

Francesco Vanni. Grammatica too was influenced by the social change taking place

during the period, a change that altered the representation of religious paintings.

Grammatica dramatized the sufferings of Jesus and other religious figures to

emphasize painful emotions. Grammatica’s portrayal of the Book of Judith is unique,

in that it combines different elements from prior works. His painting features Judith

as an emblem of virtue and purity similar to her portrayal by Donatello. Influenced

by Michelangelo and his classicism style, he narrates the story in three segments.

Finally, he also includes elements from Caravaggesque style, such as effective use of

light and shadow. This integration has led to an entirely different depiction of the

Book of Judith when compared to the popular norm.


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In order to understand each interpretation of the Book of Judith, it is necessary

to understand the original biblical story. Holofernes – an Assyrian general –

conquered Bethulia and captured the city’s inhabitants. Judith – a beautiful widow –

volunteered to save the city by enchanting Holofernes and the Assyrian guards with

her beauty. Mesmerized by Judith’s pulchritude, Holofernes invited her to dine with

him on the fourth day of capture. Judith and her servant Abra proceed to decapitate

Holofernes, who had fallen asleep after substantial intoxication from alcohol. Judith

then returns to the city of Bethulia with Holofernes’s head. The entire city celebrates

her victory. The Bible portrays Judith as equivalent to the Virgin Mary thanks to her

noble act of saving the holy city of Bethulia. The story hails her greatness and her

braveness, rather than emphasizing her seductiveness and her act of violence; the

latter description was more prevalent during the Baroque era1. Throughout the

Middle Ages, Judith’s portrayal did not change from the original description in the

Bible. The presence of multiple characteristics to depict an emblem of virtue and a

fighter figure enabled many interpretations of the Book of Judith.

Donatello influenced several artists over the decades, inspiring them to create

their own vision of Judith and Holofernes. Donatello pioneered the representation of

Judith as a figure of virtue rather than a humble heroine. Grammatica later used

Donatello’s bronze sculpture of Judith and Holofernes, A.D. 1456-60 to create his

version of the story. The sculpture was one of the early Renaissance sculptures to

depict Judith as an emblem of virtue. In the sculpture, Judith is lavishly robed and

covered, much like Virgin Mary's depiction in medieval art. Judith stands between

Holofernes’s legs, holding his head with her left hand while Holofernes is seated, legs

hanging. Both are elevated on a platform. In her right hand, Judith wields a sword

1 Lawrence Mitchell Wills, The Jewish Novel in the Ancient world: The Judith Novel, (Ithaca: Cornell University, 1995) 133


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raised above her head, ready to strike. Holofernes is wearing just shorts, and his

expression suggests that his death is imminent. Judith’s tall, slender body contrasts

with Holofernes lifeless but muscular body. Even her lavish clothing contrasts with

Holofernes’s scantily-clad body. Donatello successfully shows Judith as the

triumphant woman by positioning her higher than Holofernes. By showing her

directly above Holofernes, Donatello accurately depicts his vision for Judith of good

triumphing over evil2. This sculpture captures the final moments of Holofernes’s life.

Donatello’s intention was to showcase the story’s final climax: the moment between

the second and the third sword strike after which Holofernes is decapitated. The

sculpture is unable to show this intention clearly3. One needs to know the actual story

to decipher this. Similar to Judith’s depiction in the sculpture, Grammatica in his

painting also shows Judith as an emblem of virtue.

Michelangelo created another influential depiction of the Book of Judith in his

Sistine Chapel. The fresco, situated on a pendentive, divides the space into three

parts: sleeping guard on the left; Judith and her servant in the middle; and

Holofernes’s headless body on the right. Judith is looking at Holofernes while

covering his head on the basin that rests on Abra’s head. Abra, Judith’s servant,

adorns a golden dress, kneeling down so that Judith can reach the top. Characters in

the painting claim their own personal space, which converts the fresco into a three-

segment narrative. Michelangelo has clearly shown the difference between Judith and

Abra, her servant, by effectively differentiating their attire. Judith’s headdress,

adorned with gold and pearls, distinguishes her from Abra. The fresco shows the

characters involved in their act. They are not facing the viewer. Holofernes’s body is

2 Mary Garrard, Artemisia Gentileschi: Judith, (New Jersey: Princeton University, 1989) 285 3 Adrian Randolph, Engaging symbols: Gender, Politics and the public art in Fifteen-‐Century Florence, (New Haven: Yale University, 2002)


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twisted in pain, his right arm in the air while his left arm hangs, a posture depicting

helplessness. The fresco also supplies a complete view of his torso while he is lying

inside a tent. The poses of the two women are classical in representation4. In his

version of the story, Michelangelo shows Holofernes’s decapitated head carried away

in a basin, covered by a towel instead of carried away in a meat bag as described in

the Bible. Both the towel and the basin are symbols of Mary's purity, and this

depiction shows the triumph of purity over lust5. Michelangelo has used bright colors

to depict this story. The enemy tent features dramatic red curtains and a white bed

inside. The sleeping guard signifies oblivion, which adds a certain level of secrecy

across the fresco. The important characteristic of Michelangelo’s interpretation is the

narrative element aroused by three different segments. Another characteristic is the

engagement of figures within themselves, creating volumes of space in the small

pendentive, a technique eventually also used by Grammatica in his version.

Grammatica creates a similar narrative in his version and achieves the perception of

depth by showing details such as the city of Bethulia in the painting’s background.

Donatello’s Judith and Michelangelo’s interpretation of the Book of Judith

influences Grammatica’s Judith with the Head of Holofernes, A.D 1620-25. His

painting uses similar elements as those used in Michelangelo’s depiction, along with

Donatello’s theory of good over evil. In Donatello’s painting, he narrates the details

of the enemy camp with extensive details. In the painting, Holofernes’s tent opens to

the viewer, covering the entire foreground of the painting. The right side shows

additional details of the enemy camp and the city of Bethulia in the background.

Guards of the camp are enjoying a fire, a scene signifying a faint lull in a chilly winter

night. Judith and Abra walk towards the left hurriedly, and seem to be engaged in

4 John Rothenstein et al, Michelangelo: Judith and Holofernes, (Milan: Funk & Wagnalls, 1978) 5 Frederick Hartt, The library of Great Painters: Michelangelo, (New York: Harry Abrans), 78


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conversation. Judith is pointing with her left hand. Similar to Michelangelo’s

depiction, Judith is yet again shown beautifully dressed in a blue garment with white

sleeves, wearing a crown and earrings. Her cheeks are glowing red as he speaks to

Abra. Abra, on the other hand, is holding Holofernes’s head in her golden garment,

listening keenly to Judith’s instructions. Holofernes’s muscular headless torso rests

on the bed behind Abra. A candle pops up on the left side of the painting to indicate a

light source. War paraphernalia rests all over the floor.

Grammatica has also divided his painting into three segments: guards keeping

warm on a chilly night in oblivion; Holofernes in his tent; and Judith and Abra

leaving in a hurry. The narratives in Grammatica’s and Michelangelo’s versions of

the painting are similar. Judith and Abra are yet again shown sharing the same

personal space. Both artists have emphasized similar details, such as the enemy tent

and Abra’s golden robes. The fact that Grammatica includes themes from classical

art similar to Michelangelo and iconographies from Michelangelo’s paintings is not

surprising6. Grammatica was often commissioned by Cardinal Francesco Maria Del

Monte, who appreciated paintings by Michelangelo. Grammatica’s shows no

indication of struggle or disgust on Judith’s face. She is holding a sword without fear

,similar to Judith in Donatello’s sculpture. She is unperturbed about the impending

danger that could result from her horrific actions. Deeply immersed in a conversation

with Abra, Grammatica successfully shows Judith as a bold and fearless woman like

Donatello’s Judith. Finally, on the floor, he paints Holofernes’s war paraphernalia

reinforcing the same message that Donatello’s Judith portrays: Holofernes stripped of

his honor and defeated by virtue. Once a strong man, he now lies helpless in Judith’s

hands.

6 Claudio Strinati, Antiveduto Grammatica: Allegory of Music, 1


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Limited research exists on Grammatica’s artistic development, but we can

conclude from some of his paintings that his style reveals elements of Domenichino-

inspired classism; Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro; and elements of mannerism. He learned

the latter from Francesco Vanni and Ventura Salimbeni7. His painting of Judith

shows the use of two manneristic elements. First, Judith’s mannered gestures, which

fully engaged Abra, and the night showcased as mystical by employing elements such

as a full-moon and oblivious guards8. Second, he evokes an atmosphere of secrecy

around the painting. Guards at the back are unaware of the horror that has occurred,

which adds up to the brutality of the theme.

Grammatica undoubtedly used Caravaggio’s dramatic and naturalistic style to

highlight key parts of the painting. Cardinal Francesco del Monte was familiar with

the work of both Grammatica and Caravaggio, and he was their most famous

customer. This common relationship enabled Grammatica to interact and work with

Caravaggio and imitate some of his artistic styles. Caravaggio’s Judith beheading

Holofernes, A.D 1590-95 brought a significant change in the way the story was

described. Contrary to other artists, Caravaggio’s painting portrays Holofernes as the

tragic hero who was defeated by seductive and lustful Judith, associating Judith with a

negative character: the demise of men9. Many artists followed and started to depict

Judith in a sexual manner and show her as the villain. Grammatica, who was inspired

by Caravaggio’s style, did not depict Judith in the same way. He was different,

portraying her as the emblem of virtue. This is further exemplified by Judith wearing

a crown. The crown iconography signifies victory. This was also later accepted to be

a sign of royalty. In early Christian art, Madonna is often depicted with a crown,

7 Claudio Strinati, Antiveduto Grammatica: Allegory of Music, 2 8 Jacques Bousquet, Mannerism The Painting and Style of the Late Renaissance: What is Mannerism, (New York: George Braziller, 1964), 26 9 Mary Garrard, Artemisia Gentileschi: Judith (New Jersey: Princeton University, 1989) 290


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indicating her status at the Queen of Heaven10. By painting a crown on Judith’s head,

Grammatica points not only to her victory but also compares her purity to the Virgin

Mary’s.

Grammatica uses Caravaggio’s dramatic style to create extreme levels of light

and shadows in his painting. He beautifully dramatizes Holofernes’ headless torso by

illuminating each of his muscles. The stark red color of the tent stresses the brutality

that has occurred during the eerie night. The varying amount of light within the tent

creates a space separate from the rest of the painting. Even though Grammatica does

not depict the moment of beheading, he emphasizes the element of cruelty through

effective use of light and shadow.

Antiveduto Grammatica creates a perfect balance in his painting by

incorporating the popular Caravaggesque style while maintaining his original artistic

style. He has created a distinctive interpretation of the Book of Judith by

incorporating elements of classical art through Michelangelo’s Fresco and manneristic

art. He represents us with a highly narrative interpretation involving iconographies

from other representations. His painting is a classic example of incorporating the best

elements from other inspirational artists and creating a masterpiece.

Michelangelo, Donatello, and Caravaggio’s interpretations of the Book of

Judith fall on the three points of a triangle, each as far apart as from the other as

possible. Grammatica’s interpretation of the story falls right in the middle.

Grammatica successfully combines elements and interpretations of the story to create

a unique illustration of the Book of Judith.

10 George Ferguson, Signs &symbols in Christian Art: Religious Objects, (New York: Oxford University), 101


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Michelangelo, Judith and Holofernes from A.D 1508-1512, Sistine Chapel

Donatello, Judith and Holofernes from A.D 1459-60


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Caravaggio, Judith beheading Holofernes from A.D 1590-95

Antiveduto Grammatica, Judith with the Head of Holofernes from A.D 1620-25, Indiana university Art Museum


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Antiveduto Grammatica, Judith with the Head of Holofernes from A.D 1620-25, Black and White


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Bibliography Lawrence, Mitchell. The Jewish Novel in the Ancient world: The Judith Novel,

(Ithaca: Cornell University, 1995) 133- 136

Garrard, Mary. Artemisia Gentileschi- The Image of the Female Hero in Baroque Art:

Judith, (New Jersey: Princeton University, 1989) 285-290

Randolph, Adrian. Engaging symbols: Gender, Politics and the public art in Fifteen-

Century Florence, (New Haven: Yale University, 2002)

John Rothenstein et al, Michelangelo: Judith and Holofernes, (Milan: Funk &

Wagnalls, 1978)

Hartt, Frederick. The library of Great Painters: Michelangelo, (New York: Harry

Abrans), 78

Strinati, Claudio. Antiveduto Grammatica: Allegory of Music, 1-2

Bousquet, Jacques. Mannerism The Painting and Style of the Late Renaissance: What

is Mannerism, (New York: George Braziller, 1964), 26

Ferguson, George. Signs &symbols in Christian Art: Religious Objects, (New York:

Oxford University), 101

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