Serial Number: 20886
Title: Judith of Bethulia (1914)
 |
Country of Origin: US
Genre: Private Gallery - The 10's
Subject: Biblical
Size: STILL 8x10
Condition: EX
Card Number: N/A
Price: $NOT FOR SALE
|
| Actors/Actresses: Blanche Sweet, Kate Bruce |
| Notes: Notes: Director: D.W.Griffith; In the seventh century B.C. the Assyrians, led by their general Holofernes, lay siege to the Jewish town of Bethulia. As the situation in the walled town becomes unbearable, and its inhabitants are on the verge of collapse and surrender, a noble Jewish woman, Judith, hatches a plan and enters the Assyrian camp situated outside the city walls, dressed as a harem girl. Relying of her charm and beauty she gains the trust and confidence of Holofernes, and while visiting his imperial tent, takes advantage of his drunkenness, picks up his sword and beheads him. She hides the head in her cloak and under the cover of darkness makes her way back into Bethulia. Upon realizing that their general was slaughtered, the Assyrian army goes into total chaos and flees in disarray with the Israelites in pursuit. Back in town the jubilant inhabitants celebrate the victory and Judith is declared a heroine. The story of Judith and Holofernes was a favorite with European artists throughout centuries. It is based on the Book of Judith which forms part of the Catholic Old Testament. In the Protestant church it is part of the Apocrypha, and in Judaism it was never part of the bible , or ever considered as a candidate for same. The reasons for that are the lateness of its composition along with anachronistic details. It was not found in the dead sea scrolls. It disappeared from Jewish circulation for over a millennium, resurfacing in religious literature of crypto-Jews around 1000 A.D. It became customary in some circles to read this book in Hanukah. Still no. 4 – Judith dressed as a harem, admires the luxurious tent Holofernes has given her. |
|