Judith and Holofernes-La Valentin..National Museum of Fine Arts.Malta

After a morning session of work, and clarifying some contract related issues between the management and the maintenance company-a thorny issue which has dragged for several months, I took a nice lunch-Spaghetti with mushrooms and settled down to finish my sketch study of “Judith and Holofernes” by La Valentin. Valentin De Boulogne-(1591-1632) was commonly known as La Valentin According to Sandro Debono- La Valentin’s “Judith and Holofernes” depicts Judith of he lord who moves in resolute determination to sever Holofernes’ dead. Judith is bathed in strong side-light symbolical of the divine that guides her hand; she is indeed the bringer of death through which liberty and new life was won. It is the very divine natured light that the agonized Holofernes seeks to hide in vain solely by his hand. Indeed a suggested deeper reading has much to do with the concept of deception on being deceived which is alos in line with Le Valentin’s genre paintings inspired by Caravaggio and Manfredi. Le Valentin’s work depicts the happening from a high viewpoint in contrast to Caravaggio’s frontal immediacy. Went for a walk after finishing the sketch study. And thought about the way the managers try to deceive and be deceived. But as Dr.Phil says in his programs-The truth shall set us free. Learning through reflections on art study. Sketching is a lovely way to spend your time. Notes and suggested further reading: Understanding Caravaggio and his Art in Malta