RETURN TO THUMBNAILS

(#177) Judah L. Magnes Museum (Nehama):
http://www.magnesmuseum.org/
Edition of 1604 of which 125 copies are signed 1-125, 26 copies are signed A-Z as artist's proofs; 9 are signed as dedication copies, and three sets are signed as progressives.

June 24, 1998 17'1/2" x 24" 16 colors

Client: Judah L. Magnes Museum, 2911 Russell, Berkeley, California, 94705 Telephone: (510) 549-6950 or (510) 849-2710

Sponsor: Harry Dov Weininger

Dedication copies: Alysa Bell, Sue and Alex Bell, Ellen Deitch, Aria Rose Fisilani, Lesley Tucker, Yvette Vloeberghs, Carmi Jan Weininger, Harry Dov Weininger, Jean Weininger, Nehama Weininger

Judith put on her garments of gladness, and with death in her heart set out to entice the enemy of Israel to his destruction. For weapons, she carried food and wine and marched into the hostile camp with an army of one maidservant. And they wondered at her beauty, and admired the children of Israel because of her, and every one said to his neighbor, "Who would despise this people, that have among them such women?"

Now when Judith came in and sat down, Holofernes his heart was ravished with her, and his mind was moved, and he desired greatly her company; for he waited a time to deceive her, from the day that he had seen her. Her sandals ravished his eyes, her beauty took his mind prisoner, and her salty home-made goat cheese made him thirsty. And Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank more wine than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born. As he staggered to his sleeping couch he grunted, "I'm going to have such a head tomorrow!"

"No, you're not," whispered the savior of Bethulia, "Here comes a candle to light you to bed," as she reached up and took his great sword off the peg, "and here comes a chopper to chop off your head."

Cool as a cucumber, Judith put the gory trophy into a sack and walked home to her people. She gathered them together and said, "Hear me now, my brethren, and take this head, and hang it upon the highest place of your walls. And so soon as the morning shall appear, and the sun shall come forth upon the earth, take ye every one his weapons, and go forth every valiant man out of the city, and set ye a captain over them, as though ye would go down into the field toward the watch of the Assyrians; but go not down. Then they shall take their armor, and shall go into their camp, and raise up the captains of the army of Assur, and shall run to the tent of Holofernes, but shall not find him: then fear shall fall upon them, and they shall flee before your face. So ye, and all that inhabit the coast of Israel, shall pursue them, and overthrow them as they go." And that's exactly what happened.

And Judith lit Chanukah candles until she was one hundred and five years old, and no one ever told her that she couldn't.

And pulled off the sackcloth which she had on, and put off the garments of her widowhood, and washed her body all over with water, and anointed herself with precious ointment, and braided the hair of her head, and put on a tire upon it, and put on her garments of gladness, wherewith she was clad during the life of Manasses her husband. - Judith 10:3

And they wondered at her beauty . . . Judith 10:19 Now when Judith came in . . . Judith 12:16

Her sandals ravished his eyes, her beauty took his mind prisoner, and the sword passed through his neck. - Judith 16:9

And Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank more wine than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born. - Judith 12:20

Here comes a candle to light you to bed, And here comes a chopper to chop off your head. - Tag line of "Oranges and Lemons," a children's choosing-up game of great antiquity. "London Bridges" is similar. Then said Judith unto them . . . Judith 14:1-4