6-Jessica Wang, Originality

Look at these three images. They all depict the same subject. Which one do you prefer?

Originality does not ensure the aura of a painting, or its impact on a viewer. When one subject is rendered multiple times, as is often the case with biblical subjects,later reproductions or interpretations of a piece of art can often be improved. Take the example of Caravaggio's Judith Beheading Holofernes (top) painted in 1599. The biblical heroine Judith was living in a town that had been invaded by the Assyrian army. Judith used her beauty to get on General Holofernes' good side, plied him with liquor, and decapitated him while he was passed out drunk. She then paraded his head around town, and that scared away the enemy.

Caravaggio's painting is captivating, and his style was heavily influential for many other Italian painters of the time. His attention to anatomical detail was astounding, as was his use of light and dark. However, I think that Artemisia Gentileschi does it better.

She painted second image in 1612, and it was reportedly inspired by Caravaggio's version. She revisited the subject again, in 1620, producing the very last image you see here. I find that each subsequent reinterpretation of the image made it even more powerful.

Carravaggio's version takes a traditional male perspective. Holofernes' face is the most expressive, and Judith looks absolutely repulsed by what she's doing. She appears weak, and only reluctantly guided by the hand of God.

Gentileschi, however, makes both Judith and her maidservant active participants in killing this man. They look strong and determined. Artemisia was raped by another painter, Tassi, around the time when she painted the first version. When she accused Tassi and brought him to trial for the crime, Artemisia was subjected to vaginal exams and torture to see if her story would hold up. At the end, Tassi received a light sentence and went back to work in 4 months.

Artemisia's life seems inseparable from her artwork, I think these paintings are animated by a feminine strength and a healthy does of rage, which I think only improved with age. Her final portrayal of Judith seems much more mature and empowered. So while it is the least "original" version of the painting, the third and chronologically last painting is my favorite.