The Book of Judith tells how Judith saved her people by seducing and killing the Assyrian general Holofernes, getting him drunk before decapitating him with his own sword. A popular subject in art, Judith is usually shown, as here, accompanied by her servant, who holds a basket into which she places the head. In the background is Holofernes’ tent and a winding road which leads to a Judith’s home town of Bethulia.

There are three other versions of this composition from Palmezzano’s workshop (Musée Ariana, Geneva, signed and dated 1525; Private collection, Milan, signed and dated 1526; and Berkeley Castle, with a false signature and the date 1536). In this version the quality of painting of Holofernes’ head is considerably subtler than the rest of the painting, which is somewhat hard and occasionally clumsy in drawing, suggesting that the work was probably largely executed by studio assistants.

Inscribed on the sword: ‘IVDIT’ and on a cartellino on the basket a long inscription, presumably the full signature but now only the date visible as ‘MCCCCCXII..’ (i.e., either 1513 or 1514).