Caravaggio’s Judith and Holofernes

Caravaggio, Judith and Holofernes, c. 1599, oil on canvas, On loan from the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica. Palazzo Barberini, Rome.

Few paintings capture Caravaggio’s genius for emotional drama better than Judith and Holofernes (c. 1599). Unlike typical renderings of this biblical subject, Caravaggio (1571–1610) depicted the climactic moment when Judith slashes the neck of her enemy, Holofernes. Now you can witness the drama yourself when this glorious yet chilling masterpiece travels to Mia from Rome.

Caravaggio’s Judith and Holofernes, showcases the painting now on loan to the Minneapolis Institute of Art from the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica (Palazzo Barberini, Rome). The exhibition includes fourteen artworks from Mia’s collection that offer various interpretations of the Judith story, from her anguish to her allure.