The Discovery of Holofernes's Corpse, plate eight from The Story of Judith and Holofernes - Philips Galle

Gift of Ursula and R. Stanley Johnson in honor of Douglas Druick

"The Discovery of Holofernes's Corpse, plate eight from The Story of Judith and Holofernes" by Philips Galle (1564) Engraving in black on ivory laid paper.

Commentary

"The Discovery of Holofernes's Corpse, plate eight from The Story of Judith and Holofernes" by Philips Galle (1564) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. The print-based method rewards close viewing, where line, texture, and co ntrast do most of the expressive work. Themes to notice include engraving. This piece is held in the source collection's Prints and Drawings collection. Philips Galle is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: Philip Galle (Netherlandish, 1537-1612) after Maarten van Heemskerck (Dutch, 1498-1574). The work is cataloged within a Netherlands cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as engraving, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Engraving in black on ivory laid paper) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (Image: 20.2 × 24.7 cm (8 × 9 3/4 in.); Plate: 20.5 × 25 cm (8 1/8 × 9 7/8 in.); Sheet: 22.6 × 27.1 cm (8 15/16 × 10 11/16 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include engraving. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/212983

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data