Italian School, 17th century. "Judith Beheading Holofernes", oil on canvas, apparently unsigned. Baroque Period master work painting depicting a story from the deuterocanonical book of Judith, chapter 13, in which the beautiful widow Judith saves her Jewish people from siege by seducing and beheading the Assyrian general Holofernes during a drunken evening, the subjects in the painting being Judith wielding a long knife or blade behind her head at center as she clutches the general's hair with her other hand in advance of slaying, with her servant looking on from the left. Framed approximately 35.75" x 41.25". Unframed approximately 28.75" x 24.25". Note: the subject matter explored in this painting is a very popular topic in Renaissance and Baroque art with works on the subject being completed by such masters as Artemisia Gentileschi (Italian, 1593-1656), Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (Italian, 1571-1610), and Paolo Veronese (Italian, 1528-1588).

Painting is re-lined and paint surface is stable. Overall with even craquelure of varying size. Under black light examination, scattered in-painting detected; specifically at edges of picture plane commensurate with frame rubbing, and in right quadrants. Figures do not appear to have been re-touched. Small puncture to picture plane detected in lower right quadrant; treated to recto with in-painting (visible under black light).