Boy, I seem to have hit on a hot topic here. It seems that young Judith has a number of fans, strangely they are mostly female. Liz, not satisfied with depictions of Judith with the head of the unfortunate Holofernes, points to these paintings by Artemisia Gentileschi depicting the actual deed.

Severing the head.

Fleeing the tent

Artemisia Gentileschi (1593 - 1652/1653), daughter of well-known Roman artist, Orazio Gentileschi (1563 - 1639), was one of the first women artists to achieve recognition in the male-dominated world of post-Renaissance art. At this time women artists were relegated to minor portraiture and never undertook major works such as the depiction of biblical scenes. For quite some time after her death her works were attributed to others, often her father. The works were inspired by a work by Caravaggio painted in 1599.

Artemisia took exception to Caravaggio depicting Judith as squeamish and timid. Accordingly in she depicts her Judith as a more forceful and commanding figure.