Judith with the Head of Holofernes - Andrea Mantegna
Archival giclée
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Description
A detailed Renaissance engraving depicting the biblical heroine Judith, executed with the precise line work and sculptural form characteristic of Andrea Mantegna.
This engraving depicts the biblical figure of Judith, who is shown standing with the severed head of the Assyrian general Holofernes. The work is attributed to the circle of Andrea Mantegna, a master of the Italian Renaissance known for his rigorous approach to form and perspective. The composition reflects the artist's interest in classical antiquity, visible in the sculptural treatment of the figure and the precise, controlled lines characteristic of early copperplate engraving.
Judith is positioned centrally, her gaze directed towards the viewer. She holds a sword in one hand and the head of Holofernes in the other, a pose that balances narrative drama with formal stability. The drapery of her garments is rendered with rhythmic, parallel hatching, which creates a sense of volume and movement. The background features a stark, architectural element that contrasts with the more fluid lines of the figure, a common device in Mantegna's graphic work to provide spatial depth without relying on complex atmospheric effects.
The technique employed here demonstrates the technical evolution of printmaking during the late fifteenth century. By using varying densities of line, the artist achieves a range of tones, from the deep shadows of the background to the highlights on Judith's face and arms. This print serves as an example of how Renaissance artists utilised the medium of engraving to disseminate their compositions and explore themes from history and literature. The work remains a study in the application of line to define human anatomy and texture, reflecting the broader artistic concerns of the period in Northern Italy.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Judith with the Head of Holofernes - Andrea Mantegna
Artist Biography
Andrea Mantegna
Padua in the 1440s was the first centre of Renaissance humanism in northern Italy. Donatello was working there on the bronze reliefs for the Basilica of Sant'Antonio; Paolo Uccello and Filippo Lippi had both passed through. Mantegna absorbed their experiments with perspective and classical form, then pushed further. His frescoes in the Ovetari Chapel (completed 1457, largely destroyed by Allied bombing in 1944) showed figures seen from below with an architectural conviction no northern Italian painter had attempted before.
In 1453 he married Nicolosia Bellini, daughter of the Venetian painter Jacopo Bellini, binding himself to the most powerful artistic dynasty in the Veneto. The relationship was productive in both directions: Giovanni Bellini, his brother-in-law, learned from Mantegna's sculptural precision while Mantegna gradually absorbed the Venetians' sensitivity to light and atmosphere, though he never fully abandoned his preference for hard, lapidary surfaces.
From 1460 until his death in 1506, Mantegna served as court painter to the Gonzaga family in Mantua. The Camera degli Sposi (completed 1474) was the first room in European painting to use illusionistic decoration across walls and ceiling as a unified architectural space. The ceiling's famous oculus, a circular opening revealing figures peering down from a balustrade against open sky, was a joke that fooled visitors and influenced decorative painting for two centuries.
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