This is an oil on canvas painting titled Judith Beheading Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi. Gentileschi was around 20 years old when she completed this painting in about 1620. The painting was completed in Rome where Gentileschi trained studying the work of Caravaggio. The subject is from a Biblical story about a young Jewish woman Judith who frees the people of Isreal by killing Holofernes, the general of the enemy army.
Gentileschi portrays the moment Judith is killing Holofernes by beheading him. The scene Gentileschi paints is powerful and the determination is visible on the face of Judith. The naturalistic features of this painting invoke a true reaction to the scene. Art Historians who focus on feminist themes consider this painting to be a possible reflection of Gentileschi's own experiences, as she was assulted in 1611 by Agostino Tassi.
Gentileschi's work is very focused on centralized compositions with tenebrism to create contrast. Judith is dynamic and the gore of the scene is emphazied by it. This painting differs from one of the same subject by Caravggio. Caravaggio's work seems sharper and more orderly, even his Judith seems hesitant about the murder. Gentileschi's work displays the messy nature of the murder with spurts of blood and detail. Even Judith's beautiful gown is in conrast with the gore of the scene making it even more powerful. (Garrard 140)