Judith Decapitating Holofernes, c1640. According to the Book of Judith in the Catholic Old Testament, the virtuous widow Judith saved her people when the military commanders failed to lift a siege by the Assyrians. She beguiled the enemy General Holofernes into getting drunk and cut off his head. The artist heightened the drama by contrasting Judiths serene determination with the amazement and horror exploding from the generals face. Portraying his head upside down emphasizes Holofernes defeat and evokes the reversal of societal norms in a womans victory over a strong man.