DOMENICO PULIGO

1492 - 1527

Judith with the head of Holofernes

Oil on panel transferred to canvas, 85.8 x 65.2 cm

PROVENANCE:

Barbara Sears Rockefeller (1916-2007), New York

It is fascinating to have rediscovered this work, thought since the 19th century to have been a work by Andrea del Sarto. The composition has only been known from the crude copy that appeared at auction some years ago (Christie’s New York, 5th October 1995, Lot 53). On the hilt of the sword Judith holds is a relief of St George slaying the Dragon. It was clearly painted when, along with Jacopo Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino, Puligo was working in Florence under the spell of Andrea del Sarto’s High Renaissance mastery. The single figure composition must date to the end of the second decade of the 16th century, around the same time as the Lucretia and Cleopatra mentioned by Vasari.

Puligo first trained in the workshop of Ridolfo Ghirlandaio. Vasari mentions he was a  great friend of Andrea del Sarto. He writes, “..he was so much the friend of Andrea del Sarto, as to have no greater pleasure than that of observing Andrea in his workshop, and learning from his experience.”