AFTER CRISTOFANO ALLORI | Judith with the head of Holofernes

oil on canvas A copy after Allori's original composition, painted 1610–12, today in the Pitti Palace, Florence (inv. 1912 n. 96).1 Allori's painting became an instant success and was widely copied, due in part to the popularity of the biblical legend depicted, and also because of its autobiographical element; the decapitated head of Holofernes is a self-portrait, whilst his lover Mazzafirra is portrayed in the beautiful face of the young woman, whose extraordinarily luxurious clothing is a direct tribute to the city's thriving textile industry. 1 https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/judith-with-the-head-of-holofernes 

All paintings available to view at the Sotheby’s Greenford Park warehouse, 5 - 7 and 10 – 13 September (10 - 4pm), by appointment. The canvas is lined, the paint surface is dirty and the varnish is discoloured and uneven. The network of craquelure is rather pronounced, particularly on the left-hand side of the composition, where it has also flaked somewhat, resulting in small paint losses. Some of this area, and some tenting in the paint surface above and below Judith's arm and her head, would benefit from stabilising. There is a visible, horizontal stretcher mark running the width of the canvas through the centre. There are also visible, discoloured retouchings in her white sleeve and waistband, as well as a more concentrated area in her hair to the right of her face, measuring 10 x 5 cm. Inspection under ultraviolet light confirms all this, and reveals lines of retouching in her nose, lips, and proper right cheek; some fine lines across the aforementioned stretcher mark; two areas in Holofernes' hair; a large area just below centre on the right margin; larger areas in and around her right sleeve and hand, and to the other areas of flaking on the left-hand side.
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