What you are looking at
In a dark tent, the Jewish heroine Judith and her maid hold down the Assyrian general Holofernes on his bed while Judith cuts off his head with a sword, blood spurting onto the sheets.
Why it is famous
Artemisia painted the story twice: an earlier version now in the Museo di Capodimonte in Naples and a later version in the Uffizi in Florence. Its force and the strength of the two women make it one of the most famous works by a woman artist of the Baroque.
How big is Judith Slaying Holofernes?
Judith Slaying Holofernes measures 158.8 × 125.4 cm (62.5 × 49.4 in), without its frame. Its surface is about 5 times the area of the Mona Lisa.
Compare it with other paintings
Where to see it
The earlier version is at the Museo di Capodimonte in Naples; the later one, painted around 1620, is at the Uffizi in Florence.
Museums move and lend paintings. Check the museum's website before you travel to see one work.
Frequently asked questions
Who painted Judith Slaying Holofernes?
Artemisia Gentileschi painted Judith Slaying Holofernes in c. 1612 to 1614.
Where is Judith Slaying Holofernes?
The earlier version is in the Museo di Capodimonte in Naples, Italy. The later version is in the Uffizi Galleries in Florence.
How big is Judith Slaying Holofernes?
158.8 × 125.4 cm (62.5 × 49.4 in). Its surface is about 5 times the area of the Mona Lisa.
What is Judith Slaying Holofernes made with?
Oil on canvas.
Sources: Wikipedia, "Judith Slaying Holofernes (Artemisia Gentileschi, Naples)"; Wikidata Q2247406; Wikipedia, "Judith Slaying Holofernes". Checked October 17, 2026. How we check.