Donatello, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Judith and Holofernes
by Donatello, 1460
Artwork Details
Details
- Year
- 1460
- Medium
- Bronze
- Size
- 236 cm height
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Donatello crafted this bronze work between 1457 and 1464, and it now stands in the Sala dei Gigli at Palazzo Vecchio. The sculpture depicts the biblical heroine Judith at the moment of beheading the Assyrian general Holofernes. It was among the first Renaissance sculptures conceived as a free-standing work viewable from all sides.
Judith stands powerfully with sword raised, gripping Holofernes by his hair. The general slumps drunkenly beneath her feet on an elaborate cushioned base decorated with symbolic reliefs. Small figures of drinking and urinating boys represent Holofernes's lack of self-control and lust. An inscription once read: "Kingdoms fall through luxury, cities rise through virtues." After the Medici expulsion in 1495, Florentines placed the statue in Piazza della Signoria as a symbol of republican liberty triumphing over tyranny.
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About Judith and Holofernes
After Florence expelled the Medici in 1495, the statue became a symbol of liberty defeating tyranny. It stood outside Palazzo Vecchio to celebrate the new republic.
It was among the first Renaissance bronzes designed as a free-standing work with four distinct viewing faces. Donatello pioneered sculpture meant to be seen from all angles.
Small boys drinking and urinating symbolize Holofernes's lack of self-control and lust. Donatello used these details to contrast virtue with vice.
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