Alexander Voet II’s engraving, “Judith with the Head of Holofernes”, c.1675, after Rubens

Alexander Voet II (c.1635–c.1695/1705)

“Judith with the Head of Holofernes” (aka “Judith with the Head of Holophernes”) 1650–1695, after Peter Paul Rubens’ (aka Petrus Paulus Rubenius) (1577–1640) painting held in the Soprintenza per i Beni Artistici e Storici per le Provincie di Firenze e Pistoia, Florence (see: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubens72.jpg).

Engraving on laid paper trimmed close to the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 31.3 x 23.3 cm; (image borderline) 30 x 22.8 cm.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) "Petr. Paul. Rubbens pinxit"; (centre) "ASPICE QVID POTVIT IVDITH PRÆCLARA VIRAGO/ QVE CAPVT IN PALMIS EN HOLOFERNIS HABET."

State IV (with the publisher’s details erased).

Hollstein 1.IV (under Voet); Schneevoogt 1873 10.82; Corpus Rubenianum III 52 (copy).

The British Museum offers a description of this print:

“Judith and Holofernes; the young woman putting the head in a sack held by her maid at left, the beheaded body of the general in right background; fourth state with address removed; after Peter Paul Rubens”

(https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3306083&partId=1&searchText=holofernis&page=1).

Condition: excellent impression trimmed close to the image borderline with a closed tear at lower right, a small spot of restoration at upper right and an unevenly trimmed text box, laid upon a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this visually arresting engraving in reverse after Rubens’ painting of the same composition showing the strong-willed and very brave Judith bagging the freshly decapitated head of her  enemy—the powerful Assyrian general of Nebuchadnezzar’s army, Holofernes—for the total cost of AU$279 (currently US$178.51/EUR164.88/GBP144.33 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this biblical scene of grim heroism from the Old Testament, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold