Caravaggio′s Judith and Holofernes at Mia - A Discussion with Rachel McGarry
Friday, June 9, 2023 at 1:54AMArticle by Becky Fillinger, photos provided
Judith Beheading Holofernes
Why should you plan a trip to Mia to see Caravaggio's Judith and Holofernes? We talked to Dr. Rachel McGarry, the Elizabeth MacMillan Chair of European Art and Curator of European Paintings and Works on Paper at Mia, about the importance of this exhibit and the enduring appeal of Judith. The magnificent painting, and the 14 other depictions of Judith’s story, leaves on August 20.
Dr. Rachel McGarryQ: Why do you think the Judith story has been such a popular topic for artists for centuries?
A: Artists have long been attracted to the story of Judith. She vanquished the Assyrian army and saved the Israelites through courage and guile (and also stunning good looks). This is great material for an artist. And Judith’s story has offered a multitude of interpretations through the ages. It symbolizes triumph over tyranny, virtue over vice, good over evil, and the good fortune of God’s faithful. The formidable Holofernes, undefeated on the battlefield, is undone by underestimating women. In Judith, he faced the embodiment of bravery, wisdom, resourcefulness, and feminine power. In the exhibition, in addition to Caravaggio’s painting, we have included 14 other works from Mia’s collection representing the subject. In these works, Judith is a virtuous beauty, a dangerous temptress, and a courageous hero.
Q: What is the importance of this exhibit - locally and nationally?
A: Caravaggio has an enormous international following, well beyond art historical circles. Many exhibitions have been organized around Caravaggio over the past 50 years, across Europe and the U.S., often with only a handful of his paintings, and the shows draw huge crowds. With around 60 autograph works by the artist surviving, his paintings are quite rare outside of Italy. (There are just seven in the U.S.) The last time Caravaggio’s Judith and Holofernes was exhibited in the U.S. was nearly 40 years ago (in “The Age of Caravaggio” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum, 1985). This is only the second time a painting by Caravaggio has been exhibited in Minneapolis. His works are incredibly powerful to see in person. Reproductions do not do the artist justice.
Michelangelo Merisi da CaravaggioQ: What should the visitor be sure to notice when they visit the exhibit?
A: Caravaggio spotlit figures and exciting action in the foreground of his paintings, against dark backgrounds. This technique of strong contrasts of light and dark - chiaroscuro - makes his figures look tangibly present. This is part of the reason his works are so enthralling. When you stand before this particular painting, you feel like the murder is happening right before your eyes. While the scene seems to be unfolding in a contiguous space, Caravaggio has cleverly made the figures slightly larger than life-size. This makes the picture more forceful and terrifying.
The lifelike nature of his work is also due in part to his novel working methods. Caravaggio painted directly from live models, often posing them as they would appear in the final composition. We include an infrared reflectogram of the Judith painting in the exhibition so you can see the changes he made in the process of painting. Caravaggio had to adjust the placement of his male model’s head, for instance, so that Holofernes appears partially decapitated.
The thematic display of the show allows visitors to appreciate just how revolutionary Caravaggio’s painting is. Traditionally, artists depicted not the murder but the events surrounding it—the banquet, the moment Judith raises her sword, or her triumphant return to Bethulia with the head of her slain enemy. Caravaggio, instead, focused on the grisly act of the decapitation. He doesn’t sugar coat the gruesome business of murder. It is ghastly work, which he knows all too well. He had been in his share of knife fights and duels and killed at least one man. It is hard not to read the artist’s personal biography into this extraordinary picture and his tendency to solve problems with a sword.
