Plaque

This plaque made ca. 1530 depicts Judith holding the head of Holfernes.

Judith, a rich and beautiful Jewish widow, was the heroine of the Jews planning and carrying out the assassination of the Assyrian general Holofernes who's army was besieging the Jewish city of Bethulia. She approached Holofernes pretending to be a traitor to her city. When he attempted to seduce her she decapitated him, and in the confusion the Assyrians fled. Her image is used to symbolise Humility, and Virtue overcoming Vice.