MUSEUM 
 
Monograph 
 
 by 
 
 CHARLES M. FFOULKE 
 on 
 
 The Judith & Holofernes Series 
 
 consisting of 
 
 Eight Flemish Tapestries 
 
 with 
 
 Original Borders 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 1907 
 
Monograph 
 
 by 
 
 CHARLES M. FFOULKE 
 
 The Judith & Holofernes Series 
 
 consisting of 
 
 Eight Flemish Tapestries 
 
 with 
 
 Original Borders 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 1907 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2016 
 
 https://archive.org/details/monographbycharlOOffou 
 
TRANSLATION OF LATIN INSCRIP- 
 TION WOVEN IN TOP BORDER 
 OF EACH TAPESTRY, AND 
 SIZE OF EACH TAPESTRY 
 
 FIRST. 
 
 King Nebuchadnezzar sends Holof ernes, the Chief 
 Captain of his army, against Israel. 
 
 Height 13 ft., p in. Width 12 ft., 3 in. 
 
 SECOND. 
 
 Achior, the leader of the Ammonites, while ex- 
 pounding the power of the God of Israel, is arrested 
 by order of Holofernes. 
 
 Height 13 ft., 3 in. Width 13 ft., p in. 
 
 THIRD. 
 
 The widow, Judith, weighed the virtues and the 
 vices of the people; when the latter are the heavier, 
 Israel is punished. 
 
 Height 13 ft., 10 in. Width 16 ft., 3 in. 
 
 FOURTH. 
 
 The most beautiful Judith arrays herself in gar- 
 ments of gladness, in order that she may free Bethulia 
 from destruction. 
 
 Height 13 ft., 4 in. Width 12 ft., 1 in. 
 
2 
 
 FIFTH. 
 
 Judith, in the guise of a fugitive, cunningly deceives 
 Holofernes, and promises him a specious victory. 
 
 Height 13 ft., 9 in. Width 13 ft., 3 in. 
 
 SIXTH. 
 
 Holofernes, while drunken, is deprived of his head 
 by Judith, who thus saves Israel. 
 
 Height 13 ft., 6 in. Width 15 ft., 2 in. 
 
 SEVENTH. 
 
 Judith, victress, displays the head of Holofernes, 
 to the people, who praise the God of Israel. 
 
 Height 13 ft., 5 in. Width 17 ft., 8 in. 
 
 EIGHTH. 
 
 The God of Israel routs the army of Holofernes", 
 and treasures are given to Judith. 
 
 Height 13 ft., 6 in. Width 19 ft., 7 in. 
 
 Average height 13 ft. 6 l / 2 inches. Total of all 
 widths, 120 feet. 
 
3 
 
 ORIGIN, HISTORY AND ARTISTIC 
 IMPORTANCE 
 
 These eight Flemish tapestries were woven during 
 the last half of the seventeenth century in Brussels-Bra- 
 bant as is proven by the mark B^B, hereafter ex- 
 plained in the description of the borders, and by the 
 signatures of E. Leyniers and H. Rydams. They pos- 
 sess the remarkable historic distinction of having be- 
 longed for about two hundred and fifty years to the 
 great patrician family — the Barberini of Rome — of 
 which Pope Urban VIII was the most prominent mem- 
 ber, and of having been included in the inventory of 
 the tapestry possessions of Cardinal Carlo Barberini in 
 1695. 
 
 In Vol. XLVIII of the manuscripts, still preserved 
 in the Barberini Library in Rome, there is an inventory 
 of the tapestries owned by the nephew of Pope Urban 
 VIII, the Cardinal Carlo Barberini, dated October 25, 
 1695. 
 
 In this inventory the series Judith and Holofernes 
 is designated as follows: 
 
 “Series woven in silk and wool, representing the his- 
 tory of Judith — eight tapestries.” 
 
 They passed from the Barberini collection into the 
 Ffoulke collection in 1889. 
 
 As evidence of their artistic value and importance, 
 the writer translates what J. J. Guiffrey, the present 
 Director General of the Gobelins, writes on pages 272- 
 
4 
 
 275 °f his “Histoire de la tapisserie depuis le moyen 
 age jusqu'a nos jours,” concerning the Leyniers and 
 Rydams, families of tapestry weavers and dyers. 
 
 “The Leyniers family ranked with the greatest in 
 Flanders, both in the number and ability of the tapes- 
 try artists it produced. The following is a list of the 
 principal members of this dynasty: Gaspard, born in 
 1576, died in 1649, was one of the most diligent tapes- 
 try weavers of his time, and brother of Daniel Ley- 
 niers, of whom mention has already been made ; Ever- 
 ard, son of Gaspard, born in 1597 and died in 1680, 
 ‘covered with glory,’ continued in his career until he 
 had attained his eightieth year. In a competitive expo- 
 sition held in 1650 by the best weavers in Flanders, 
 Everard was awarded the highest medal over all his 
 rivals.* Urbain, son of Gaspard, was one of the most 
 celebrated dyers of his time. He preserved and em- 
 ployed the secrets of his father in coloring the wools. 
 
 “The excellence of his dyes brought to Gaspard the 
 second, in 1672, the title of ‘Dyer to the Governor of 
 the Netherlands,’ and the exclusive monopoly of dyeing 
 all the wools used in all the ateliers of Brussels-Bra- 
 bant. Everard had three sons — John, Daniel and Giles 
 — all of whom followed the career of their father. 
 John, whose reputation eclipsed those of his brothers, 
 wove a series of tapestries illustrating the history of 
 Meleager and Atalanta, after cartoons by Le Brun, for 
 Monsieur the brother of Louis XIV.” 
 
 Mr. Guiffrey writes much more and in the most 
 flattering terms of the skill and talents of this family, 
 but enough has been translated to substantiate its ex- 
 
 *This Everard Leyniers was the author and signer of one-half 
 of this series Judith and Holofernes. 
 
5 
 
 ceptionally high position in the tapestry world. On 
 page 275 of the work heretofore named Mr. Guiffrey 
 tells us that “Henry Rydams began his career as a tap- 
 estry weaver in 1629, and was succeeded in 1671 by 
 his son, who bore the same name as his father. * * * 
 The descendants of the Rydams, allied with the de- 
 scendants of the Leyniers, preserved their united ate- 
 liers until the middle of the eighteenth century.” 
 
 After reciting some of the remarkable series woven 
 by the Leyniers and Rydams families, Mr. Guiffrey 
 adds, “that there are some series which bear the names 
 of both of these celebrated families.” 
 
 The eight Judith and Holof ernes tapestries which 
 are the subject of this monograph form one of these 
 rare series, as the name of Henry Rydams is woven in 
 the blue band at the bottom of one-half of them, and 
 that of Everard Leyniers in the blue band at the bottom 
 of the other half. 
 
 M. Wauters in his “Tapisseries Bruxelloises” states 
 that the Leyniers family were tapestry weavers for 
 nearly 250 years from the beginning of the XVI cen- 
 tury to the middle of the XVIII, and that both Ever- 
 ard Leyniers and Henry Rydams were doyens of the 
 Brussels tapestry guild. 
 
 The Barberini tapestries were all rated as antique 
 works of art by the experts of the Italian Government 
 and those of the Royal Galleries of Uffizi, when appli- 
 cation was made to export them from Rome and Italy. 
 The Italian Minister of Public Instruction affixed his 
 official seal to each tapestry as evidence that the Govern- 
 ment had consented to its exportation, and that the ex- 
 port tax on it as an antique work of art had been paid. 
 On account of the clamor caused by the loss of the Bar- 
 
6 
 
 berini collection of tapestries to Italy, the American 
 purchaser had them examined by the experts of the 
 Royal Galleries of the Uffizi at Florence who affixed the 
 seal of the Galleries to each one as confirmative evidence 
 of the right to export them and of the payment of 
 the export tax. In consequence each tapestry bears 
 two seals, without which they would not have been al- 
 lowed to leave Italy. 
 
 They are in first class order, have never been muti- 
 lated in any way, and are in the same condition, ex- 
 cepting some trifling repairs, as when they issued orig- 
 inally from the united ateliers of Leyniers and Rydams. 
 
 They were woven as above shown in the united ate- 
 liers of two of the most celebrated families of tapestry 
 weavers that Flanders ever produced; they are full 
 of sentiment and strong in character ; the principal per- 
 sonages are in general exceedingly well drawn and 
 magnificently costumed, and they possess their original 
 borders. Judith and Holof ernes are personified in al- 
 most all with a surprising fidelity to the Apochryphal 
 record of their character and acts as printed in the early 
 editions of the Old Testament. 
 
 They are particularly remarkable for the wonderful 
 preservation of their colors as well as for the exqui- 
 site delicacy and harmony of those colors. There are 
 no vivid tones, no jarring of colors and the eyes are 
 delighted with the beautiful manner in which the lat- 
 ter were originally blended and by the softening effects 
 of time upon them. 
 
 The best perspective results in tapestries were ob- 
 tained by the introduction of architectural features, and 
 the creators of this series were thoroughly alive to 
 this fact. The best decorative effects in some tapes- 
 
7 
 
 tries were obtained by the introduction of such back- 
 grounds as would throw out in fine relief the figures 
 and costumes of the principal personages, to which fact 
 also the creators of this series were fully alive. 
 
 In some of the Judith and Holof ernes tapestries the 
 backgrounds are draperies, in others they are tent 
 walls, in still others fortification walls or architec- 
 tural motives, and the surprising relief obtained by 
 these backgrounds greatly increases our admiration 
 and respect for the master weavers in whose united 
 ateliers these eight tapestries originated. 
 
 In conclusions they are splendid specimens of Flem- 
 ish tapestries of the last half of the seventeenth cen- 
 tury, for they possess a wealth of decorative qualities 
 which give them a wonderfully sumptuous effect, and 
 they were woven while Flanders stoutly maintained her 
 struggle for leadership with France and before the 
 wiser laws and better pay of the French monarchs 
 had robbed her of many of her best weavers and had 
 ended her three centuries of proud pre-eminence as the 
 greatest and grandest center of tapestry weaving in 
 the world. 
 
8 
 
 HISTORY OF THE SUBJECTS 
 
 The following history of Judith and Holofernes is 
 partly quoted and partly compiled from the “Book of 
 Judith” as printed in the Apochrypha. 
 
 Judith was a beautiful Jewish widow and a model 
 of piety, courage, chastity and wisdom. 
 
 Holofernes was a savage instrument of the King of 
 Babylon and carried war, desolation and misery into 
 many countries. 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (called King of 
 Assyria in the Apochrypha), sent envoys to “all inhab- 
 itants of the land” commanding them to join his stand- 
 ards in a war against Arphaxad. As Nebuchadnezzar 
 was unknown to several of the kings who received his 
 command, they laughed at his mandate and treated 
 his ambassadors with contempt. Enraged at their 
 “contumeliousness,” he “swore by his throne and king- 
 dom that he would avenge himself by destroying all 
 flesh that did not obey the commandments of his 
 mouth,” and sent for Holofernes, the chief captain of 
 his army, who knelt before him to receive his orders 
 and above whom he extended his sceptre. ( See the 
 first tapestry . 
 
 It was a law among the Medes and Persians that 
 every one summoned into the monarch’s presence over 
 whom he did not extend his sceptre should be put to 
 death. 
 
 The orders which he delivered to his Chief Captain 
 began with the words, “Thus saith the great King, the 
 
The Second Tapestry. 
 
 HOLOFERNES ORDERING THE ARREST OF ACHIOR. 
 
9 
 
 Lord of the whole earth,” and after commanding Hol- 
 ofernes to lay waste the lands of those who resisted 
 and to destroy the inhabitants thereof, they terminated 
 with the threat, “and take thou heed, that thou trans- 
 gress none of the commandments of thy Lord.” 
 
 Holofernes began carrying out these terrible orders 
 with savage ferocity. On nearing the confines of Judea 
 he decreed that he came “to destroy all the gods of the 
 land, that all nations should worship Nebuchadnezzar 
 only, and that all tongues and tribes should call upon 
 him as God.” The children of Israel “were troubled 
 for Jerusalem and for the temple of the Lord their 
 God,” but they courageously gathered together their 
 warriors, fortified their villages and placed guards at 
 the narrow passes into the valleys of Judea. Their 
 resistance enraged Holofernes to frenzy. He sum- 
 moned the “princes of Moab and the captains of Am- 
 mon,” and demanded, “Who are these people; what is 
 the multitude of their army; wherein is their power 
 and strength ; what king is set over them, or who is 
 captain of their army?” Achior, the Ammonite, at- 
 tempted to enlighten him, and recited the history of 
 the Jews, traced their wanderings with his finger upon 
 a map, and declared that “if there be any error in this 
 people, and they sin against their God, we shall over- 
 come them, but if there be no iniquity in their nation, 
 let my lord now pass by, lest their Lord defend them 
 and we become a reproach before all the world.” 
 Holofernes, flaming with anger at the implication of 
 a possible defeat of his army, ordered that Achior be 
 seized, bound and delivered to the Jews, so that he 
 might perish with the people he presumed invincible. 
 (See the second tapestry .) 
 
10 
 
 The next day Holofernes surrounded Bethulia, the 
 first fortified city of the Jews, and took possession of 
 the fountains and wells, upon which the people de- 
 pended for water. At the expiration of thirty-four 
 days, the beleagured citizens having exhausted their 
 cisterns, assembled and demanded that their chief 
 Ozias, should surrender the city to Holofernes. He 
 bade them keep up their courage for five days longer 
 and made an oath that if no help came from the Lord 
 within that time he would accede to their prayers. 
 When Judith heard of the demands of the people and 
 the reply of Ozias, she sent for him and for “Chabris 
 and Charmis, the ancients of the city,” and said : “Oh, 
 ye governors of Bethulia, the words ye have spoken 
 before the people this day are not right, touching this 
 oath which ye have made to deliver the city to our ene- 
 mies in five days unless within these days the Lord turn 
 to help us. He hath power to defend us when He will, 
 even every day, or to destroy us before our enemies. 
 Therefore let us wait for salvation of Him and call 
 upon Him to help us and He will hear our voice if it 
 please Him.” She arraigned them in forcible lan- 
 guage and practically showed them that their vices 
 outweighed their virtues. ( See the third tapestry.) 
 
 She could not determine them to follow her coun- 
 sels, for Ozias speaking for all, replied : “There 
 is none to gainsay thy wisdom, all the people know thy 
 understanding, but the oath we have taken we will not 
 break ; therefore pray thou that the Lord will send rain 
 to fill our cisterns.” To which Judith answered: “I 
 will do a thing which shall go throughout all genera- 
 tions to the children of our nation. Stand ye by the 
 gates this night and I will go forth with my waiting- 
 

The Fourth Tapestry. 
 THE TOILET OF JUDITH. 
 
11 
 
 woman, and within the days that ye have promised to 
 deliver our city to our enemies the Lord will visit Is- 
 rael by my hand.” Ozias and the princes responded: 
 “Go in peace, and the Lord God be before thee and 
 take vengeance on our enemies.” Thereupon Judith 
 humbled herself and appealed to the Lord for help 
 against the Assyrians and closed her prayer with the 
 words “give into my hands the power that I have con- 
 ceived, smite by the deceit of my lips their prince, and 
 break down their stateliness by the hand of a woman.” 
 
 She then called her maids “who removed the gar- 
 ments of her widowhood, bathed her and anointed her 
 with precious ointment, braided her hair, put a tire 
 upon her head, and clothed her in her garments of 
 gladness. They put sandals upon her feet and decked 
 her with bracelets, chains, rings and all her ornaments, 
 to allure the eyes of all men that should see her.” ( See 
 the fourth tapestry.) 
 
 She then gave the maid she had chosen to accom- 
 pany her a bottle of wine and a bag of provisions and 
 they went forth from the gate of the city toward the 
 camp of Holofernes. As they approached it they were 
 halted by the “first watch of the Assyrians,” who asked 
 her, “Of what people art thou” ? She answered, “I am 
 a woman of the Hebrews, and am fled from them, for 
 they shall be given you to be consumed. I am come 
 to show your chief captain a way whereby he shall win 
 all the hill country around Bethulia, without losing any 
 of his men.” Thereupon, a guard conducted her to the 
 tent of Holofernes, “who rested upon his bed under a 
 canopy, which was woven with purple, and gold, and 
 emeralds, and precious stones.” When Judith came 
 before him he marvelled at her beauty and “she fell 
 
12 
 
 upon her knees and did reverence unto him, and his 
 guards lifted her up.” ( See the fifth tapestry.) 
 
 He asked her, “Wherefore art thou fled from thy 
 people, and art come unto us? None shall hurt thee, 
 but entreat thee well.” To which she answered, “If 
 thou wilt follow the words of thy handmaid, God will 
 deliver Israel into thy hands. Achior repeated to us 
 the words which he declared unto thee, and I entreat 
 thee, reject not his advice, for it is true; but the people 
 have naught to eat or drink, and they will lay hands 
 upon their cattle and on all those sanctified things that 
 God hath forbidden them to touch or eat. I, thine hand- 
 maid, knowing all this, am fled, and God has sent me 
 to advise thee. Now, therefore, my Lord, I will re- 
 main with thee, and thy servant will go out by night 
 into the valley, and pray unto my God, and He will 
 tell me when they have committed these sins, and the 
 same day thou shalt destroy them.” Her words pleas- 
 ed Holofernes, and he told her, “There is not such a 
 woman from one end of the earth to the other both 
 for beauty of face and wisdom of words. If thou do 
 as thou hast spoken, thou shalt dwell in the house of 
 Nebuchadnezzar, and shalt be renowned throughout 
 the whole earth.” He requested her “to eat of his 
 meats and drink of his wines;” but she replied, 
 “Provision shall be made for me of the things that I 
 have brought, lest I commit an offense.” The guard 
 then conducted her to a tent, and before the early 
 morning watch she sent to Holofernes, saying, “Let 
 my Lord now command that thine handmaid may go 
 forth unto prayer.” Whereupon he “commanded his 
 guard that they should not stay her,” and thus for three 
 nights she went out and in unmolested. On the fourth 
 

 <L 
 
 
 r- 
 
 
 
 
 
 w* . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Sixth Tapestry. 
 
 BANQUET GIVEN JUDITH BY HOLOFERNES. 
 
13 
 
 day Holofernes “made a feast to his servants only, 
 and called none of the officers to the banquet,” but 
 sent Bagoas, the eunuch, to invite Judith to join him. 
 
 She obeyed and when she appeared “Holofernes’ 
 heart was ravished with her for he waited a time to 
 deceive her.” He begged that she would “drink now 
 and be merry with us” ; but she “ate and drank be- 
 fore him only what her maid had prepared.” ( See the 
 sixth tapestry.) 
 
 “Holofernes took great delight in her, and 
 drank much more wine than he had drunk at any 
 time in one day since he was born.” The feast was 
 long and the servants were weary, so “Bagoas dismiss- 
 ed them, and shut the tent from without.” * * * 
 
 “Judith was left alone in the tent and Holofernes lying 
 along his bed, for he was filled with wine. Now Judith 
 had commanded her maid to stand without the tent, 
 for she had said to Bagoas that she would go forth to 
 her prayers as usual.” 
 
 Alone with the oppressor of her race and kindred, 
 alone with the savage who had desolated whole coun- 
 tries and filled nations with mourning, and that savage 
 in her power — asleep and drunken. She hesitated only 
 long enough to utter a short prayer, then seized the fal- 
 chion of Holofernes, took hold of his hair, and with two 
 strokes severed his head from his body. She handed 
 the head to her maid, who put it into the bag which 
 had held their provisions ; and “they twain went forth 
 together, according to their custom, unto prayer” out- 
 side the camp. On arriving before the gate of Beth- 
 ulia, Judith cried out: “Open, open now the gate; 
 praise God, for he hath not taken away His mercy 
 from the house of Israel, but hath destroyed our ene- 
 
14 
 
 mies by mine hands this night. They opened the gate 
 for her, and when she had entered and mounted the 
 steps of the temple, she took the head out of the bag and 
 showed it, and said unto them : “Behold the head of 
 Holofernes, the Chief Captain of the army of Assur; 
 the Lord hath smitten him by the hand of a woman.” 
 * * * “The people were astonished and sang and 
 
 danced and with glad music praised the Lord.” 
 
 Ozias with uplifted hand cried : “O daughter, blessed 
 art thou of the most high God above all women upon 
 earth,” and Achior fell upon his knees and reverenced 
 her and was converted to Judaism. ( See the seventh 
 tapestry . ) 
 
 She then told the soldiers to “Take this head and 
 hang it upon the highest place of your walls, and take 
 ye every one his weapons and go forth out of the city 
 as though ye would go down into the field toward the 
 watch of the Assyrians, but go not down. Upon see- 
 ing you they shall go into their camp and raise up the 
 Captains of the army of Assur, and they 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.” 
 
 The soldiers followed her advice ; the Assyrians fled 
 as she had presaged ; the Israelites pursued them with 
 fearful slaughter, and the immense riches of the army 
 of Holofernes fell into the hands of the Jews. They 
 gave to Judith the tent of Holofernes, all his plate and 
 vessels of gold, and all his rich stuffs and precious 
 stones, and all his treasures. ( See the eighth tapes- 
 try.) 
 
 Thomas Bailey Aldrich published a few years ago 
 a narrative poem, entitled “Judith and Holofernes,” 
 
Eighth Tapestry. 
 
IS 
 
 which is founded on the Apocrypha, and will prove 
 entertaining reading to any one interested in the sub- 
 ject. He subsequently dramatized the poem under the 
 title “Judith of Bethulia,” for Miss Nancy O’Neill, 
 who appeared as Judith at the Tremont Theatre, Bos- 
 ton, in 1904. The dramatization does not follow the 
 lines of the poem nor those of the Apocrypha, for it 
 makes Bagoas an accomplice of Judith by furnishing 
 her with a sleeping drug to put in Holofernes’ wine. 
 It also makes Achior a persistent lover of Judith, who 
 followed her to Holofernes’ camp where he was ar- 
 rested and released by Bagoas during the panic caused 
 by the death of Holofernes. It also makes Bagoas 
 accompany Achior to Jerusalem. 
 
 / 
 
16 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE BORDERS 
 
 They are an integral part of the tapestries and are 
 an important and artistic feature of the series. Tapes- 
 tries which have been deprived of their original bor- 
 ders have lost many of their virgin charms. In the 
 center of all the top borders is a cartouche, the upper 
 part of which is decorated with the head of a satyr 
 and the lower part with dolphins. In each cartouche 
 is a Latin inscription on a blue ground, which inscrip- 
 tion is the title of the composition illustrated beneath 
 it. To the right and left of this cartouche, excepting 
 in the narrow tapestries, are standing eagles with ex- 
 tended wings, and festoons of leaves and fruit. In 
 the center of all the bottom borders is a cartouche 
 which encloses a miniature mythological subject. 
 
 To the right and left of this cartouche are winged 
 cherubs and beyond these are bouquets of fruits and 
 leaves. 
 
 In all the corners of all the tapestries are cartouches 
 enclosing the mask of a satyr. 
 
 In the center of all the side borders is a cartouche 
 enclosing an imitation of a blue stone above which is 
 a shell and beneath which are dolphins’ heads. 
 
 Above and below this cartouche are bouquets of 
 fruits and leaves. The imitation stone was woven in 
 so that the owner should have a place in which he 
 could put his coat of arms if he so desired, without de- 
 tracting from the merits of the tapestries. It could 
 easily be cut out and his coat of arms, woven on a 
 small loom, could be deftly inserted in the vacant space. 
 
17 
 
 In the blue band at the bottom of each tapestry is 
 woven the signature of E. Leyniers or that of H. Ry- 
 dams. In the same band are also woven, sometimes to 
 the right and sometimes to the left of the signa- 
 ture, the mark B ^ B. 
 
 The letters stand for Brussels-Brabant. The city 
 of Brussels and the duchy of Brabant at one time form- 
 ed part of the province of Flanders. The shield stands 
 for the municipal shield of Brussels and it often varies 
 in form. The letters and shield constitute the mark of 
 tapestries which originated in Brussels-Brabant, and 
 which are entitled to rank as antique Flemish tapestries. 
 
 In 1528 Charles the Great issued an edict which 
 condemned any weaver to lose his right hand who wove 
 this mark in any tapestry which did not originate in 
 Brussels-Brabant. 
 
 / 
 
18 
 
 INSCRIPTION, SIGNATURE, MARK, 
 AND DESCRIPTION OF 
 EACH TAPESTRY 
 
 BEGINNING WITH THE FIRST AND ENDING WITH THE EIGHTH 
 
 Latin Inscription. 
 
 NABVCHODONOSOR REX HOLOFERNEM 
 PRINCIPEM MILITIAE SVAE ADVERSVS 
 ISRAELEM MITTIT. 
 
 Signature— E. LEYNIERS. Mark— Bf B. 
 
 Description. 
 
 The first tapestry represents Nebuchadnezzar, seated 
 upon his throne at the entrance of a palace, extending 
 his sceptre over the head of Holofernes, who kneels 
 as he receives the edict which bears the monarch’s por- 
 trait on its seal, and which commands him, upon forfeit 
 of his life, to kill all those who disobey the king’s or- 
 ders, and to destroy their towns and cities and lay 
 waste their lands. Two officers, no doubt of high de- 
 gree, stand at the left of the throne, while others of 
 lesser importance and a few soldiers are grouped near 
 its right. 
 
 Nebuchadnezzar wears a turban, a crown, a collar 
 of precious stones, a delicately toned tunic with gol- 
 den lights, and a richly embroidered mantle lined with 
 ermine and which has a wide collar of the same fur. 
 
19 
 
 Holofernes wears a helmet adorned with ostrich plumes, 
 a coat of armor decorated with human masks and a 
 mantle of almost the same color as the tunic of the 
 King. The officer in the right foreground who strokes 
 his beard, wears a long, deep blue coat of velvety cloth 
 with silver lights and an ermine collar. All the princi- 
 pal personages are large in stature and have strong, 
 determined and self-sufficient features which indicate 
 them capable of carrying out the work they have under- 
 taken both ruthlessly and persistently. 
 
 Latin Inscription. 
 
 ACHIOR DVX AMONITARV ENARRANS DEI 
 ISAELIS POTENTIAM IVSSV HOLOFERNIS 
 CAPITVR. 
 
 Signature — H. RYDAMS. Mark — B. 
 
 Description. 
 
 The second tapestry represents Achior, Captain of 
 the Ammonites, standing behind a table at the entrance 
 of a tent answering the demands of Holofernes for 
 information concerning the Jews. He points out upon 
 a map the wanderings of this people, recites their his- 
 tory and declares with an arm uplifted to give greater 
 emphasis to his words, that they cannot be conquered 
 so long as they obey the commandments of their Lord. 
 Holofernes, wild with rage at this daring and unex- 
 pected declaration, turns his back to the table, points at 
 Achior and orders that he be seized, bound and thrown 
 into Bethulia to perish with its inhabitants. The or- 
 der is instantly obeyed, for two officers promptly seize 
 the Ammonite Captain. The secondary scene illus- 
 trates the balance of the sentence. Achior has been 
 
20 
 
 bound to a tree from which he is being cut loose by a 
 soldier preparatory, no doubt, to being driven into 
 the beleagured city. 
 
 The Ammonite Captain is represented in this tapes- 
 try, as well as in all the rest in which he appears, as 
 a sedate looking man of serious disposition. 
 
 He wears a helmet decorated with three ostrich 
 feathers, a tunic of practically the same tones as the 
 mantle of Holofernes in the preceding tapestry, and a 
 deep blue mantle with silver lights. Holofernes wears 
 a helmet adorned with ostritch plumes, a coat of armor 
 ornamented with human masks and a rich luminous 
 brown mantle gracefully draped around his body and 
 across his shoulders. It is an exciting and fateful 
 council of war and has been interpreted into warp and 
 woof with marvelous skill. The dark brown back- 
 ground of the tent throws out in fine relief the fore- 
 most military figures and the helmets, spears and ban- 
 ners of those in the rear. Everyone will note the mag- 
 nificent costumes of Achior and Holofernes, but none 
 should fail to observe the admirable reproduction of 
 the map, the books and the table cover of an unusual 
 oriental pattern. 
 
 Latin Inscription. 
 
 IVDITH VIDVA PONDERAT POPVLI VIR- 
 TVTES ET VITIA HIS SVPERANTIBVS 
 ISRAEL PVNITVR. 
 
 Signature — H. RYDAMS. Mark — B^B. 
 
 Description. 
 
 The third tapestry represents Judith metaphorically 
 weighing the virtues and vices of the Jews, at the 
 
21 
 
 entrance of a synagogue and before the Governors of 
 Bethulia. The scales are apparently held up by a hand 
 descending from a cloud. The arrogant attitude of 
 Ozias, the chief Governor, has given way, as she con- 
 tinues her arraignment, to surprise and discomfiture. 
 His pose, his strong and determined features, his heavy 
 beard and his large and bulky frame enveloped in what 
 may be called a salmon-pink robe, give him an impos- 
 ing and self-sufficient appearance. Charmis, who 
 stands on his left, is the only one of the three Gov- 
 ernors who, judging by his downcast eyes and reverent 
 attitude, actually feels and respects the truth of Judith’s 
 words. He wears a coat of blue velvety cloth with 
 silver lights which has been interpreted with such ex- 
 cellence that it appears real and the illusion is accen- 
 tuated by the natural manner with which it drapes his 
 figure. Chabris, who stands on the right of Ozias, has 
 a face which indicates a subordinate and crafty charac- 
 ter. Behind the Governors of Bethulia crowd a num- 
 ber of soldiers, carrying spears and a green flag, who 
 strain forward to see all that is going on. In front of 
 the scales stand Judith and Marah, her maid. Judith 
 is dressed in the somber garments of her widowhood 
 and her solemn words are emphasized by the attitude 
 of Marah, who stands behind her with hands clasped 
 in supplication. In the heavier scales, peacock feath- 
 ers represent vanity; the ram’s head, obstinacy; the 
 mask, deceitfulness ; the serpent, biting a heart, envy ; 
 the bag of money, avarice, and the toad, corruption. 
 
 In the lighter scale the anchor represents faith ; the 
 sword and balance, justice; the lamb’s head, innocence; 
 the roses, purity ; the flaming heart, sincerity ; the 
 clasped hands, brotherly unity, and the altar-fire, re- 
 liance upon God. 
 
22 
 
 In the left middle field is a crowd of men and wo- 
 men in various attitudes of despair. Further back is 
 a section of the walls of the city with a tower full of 
 soldiers, and beyond, upon a high knoll, are a horse- 
 man and a foot-soldier on scout duty for the As- 
 syrians. 
 
 Latin Inscription. 
 
 IVDITH PVLCHERRIMA INDVIT SE VES- 
 TIBVS IVCVNDITATIS SVAE VT BETHV- 
 LIAM AB EXCIDIO LIBERET. 
 
 Signature — E. LEYNIERS. Mark — B^B. 
 
 Description. 
 
 The fourth tapestry represents Judith, assisted by her 
 maids, completing a bewitching toilet, in which she aims 
 to dazzle and enthrall Holofernes. She stands in front 
 of a table near the middle of her boudoir and looks into 
 a small mirror. A kneeling maid fastens a bracelet 
 upon her wrist, another spreads a rich mantle over her 
 shoulders, a third takes a brown dress out of a chest, 
 and Marah, who accompanied her to the camp of the 
 Assyrian general, carries a salver and ewer. On the 
 floor is a brazier containing curling tongs. The table 
 cloth looks like a veritable piece of embroidery of 
 unique and oriental pattern. It was an admirable 
 scheme to stretch drapery across the corner of the 
 boudoir, since it throws out in exquisite relief the vase 
 of flowers, the black jewel case and its open drawer 
 (from which hangs a necklace of pearls) the mirror and 
 the whole toilet scene. The artist weavers have created 
 a lovely feminine Judith whom we would hardly imag- 
 ine possessed the physical courage to risk more than 
 her life to save her country from destruction. 
 
23 
 
 Latin Inscription. 
 
 IVDITH FVGITIVA HOLOFERNEM ASTVTE 
 DECIPIT, ET SPECIOSAM VICTORIAM PRO- 
 MITTIT. 
 
 Signature — H. RYDAMS. Mark — 
 
 Description. 
 
 The fifth tapestry represents Holofernes seated upon 
 a dais at the entrance to his tent, propped round in 
 Oriental fashion with cushions. Judith kneels at his 
 feet with downcast eyes and both hands clasped upon 
 her breast, while Marah kneels behind her and holds 
 up the train of her mantle. The Assyrian leans for- 
 ward and proffers a hand as if to assist her to her feet. 
 On the left of the dais are, among other things, his 
 plumed helmet, sword and belt and coat of armor. The 
 two soldiers who have conducted Judith to the tent 
 help her to rise at the command of their chief. Their 
 swarthy features, stalwart frames and picturesque mil- 
 itary costumes have been admirably interpreted. There 
 can be no doubt but what they are loyal and valiant 
 soldiers, disciplined to prompt obedience. Although 
 the cunning look in the eyes of Judith and the sup- 
 pliant features of Marah were not intended to add, 
 which they could not, to the decorative features of the 
 tapestry, yet they carry the conviction that the artist- 
 weavers intended they should interpret in a measure 
 the purpose of the visit. The magnificent mantle worn 
 by Judith, which is evidently the same one a maid is 
 throwing over her shoulders in the preceding tapestry, 
 looks like oriental embroidery, heavily enriched with 
 gold and ornamented around the edges with rows of 
 pearls. 
 
24 
 
 Latin Inscription. 
 
 HOLOFERNES EBRIVS A IVDITH CAPITE 
 TRVNCATVR QVAE ITA ISRAELEM SER- 
 VAT. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 Holofernes, while drunken, is deprived of his head by 
 Judith, who thus saves Israel. 
 
 Signature — E. LEYNIERS. Mark B^B. 
 
 Description. 
 
 The sixth tapestry represents the banquet offered 
 Judith by Holofernes in his tent while besieging 
 Bethulia. The Assyrian general holds a large crystal 
 and bronze goblet of wine in his right hand and clasps 
 the forearm of the Jewess with his left while she, 
 with a far-away look in her eyes, takes no no- 
 tice of the act nor of the look with which he in- 
 sults her. Old Bagoas, his lictor’s axe behind him, 
 puts upon the table the viands, cake and fruits handed 
 him by a waiter, while a page in the foreground fills 
 a pitcher with wine. Marah has given Judith a crys- 
 tal cup of the wine they brought with them, as she 
 refused to eat or drink anything furnished by Holo- 
 fernes. The table is decorated with a stuffed peacock 
 placed between two tall wax candles, the light from 
 which brilliantly illuminates the rear wall of the tent. 
 Behind the table is seen the casqued head of a soldier. 
 The enamored Holofernes, the indifferent Bagoas, the 
 stolid soldier, the heavy-witted waiter and the busy 
 boy, all speak to us in one direction, while the alarm 
 of Marah and the serenity of Judith in the face of her 
 danger trouble us as would the sight of a lamb in the 
 
25 
 
 jaws of a tiger. It is a pathetic subject superbly illus- 
 trated. One remarks with pleasure that the creators 
 of the tapestry represent the actual tragedy, designated 
 in the inscription, in miniature only and in an incon- 
 spicuous place. 
 
 Latin Inscription. 
 
 IVDITH VICTRIX HOLOFERNIS CAPVT POP- 
 VLO EXHIBET QVI DEVM ISRAELIS LAV- 
 
 DAT. 
 
 Signature — H. RYDAMS. Mark — B^B. 
 
 Description. 
 
 The seventh tapestry represents Judith exhibiting 
 the head of Holofernes, at the entrance of a synagogue 
 to the Governors and people of Bethulia. She holds 
 it aloft in her right hand and points at it with the 
 forefinger of her left, as she utters the words, “Behold 
 the head of Holofernes, the Chief Captain of the army 
 of Assur; the Lord has smitten him by the hand of a 
 woman.” Ozias stands a step below the heroine facing 
 the spectator and with his right arm upraised, cries 
 aloud, “O daughter, blessed art thou of the most high 
 God above all women upon earth.” Charmis stands be- 
 hind Ozias and with hands raised in astonishment 
 gazes at the head of the dreaded Assyrian. Achior has 
 doffed his plumed helmet, and kneeling at the feet of 
 Judith, looks up at her with reverence. Marah stands 
 behind her holding the bag in which the head was 
 carried, while another maid holds aloft a closed sun 
 umbrella, and a third holds a bit of drapery beneath the 
 severed head. 
 
26 
 
 The people of Bethulia are wild with joy over their 
 deliverance. One of the two men upon the step be- 
 hind Ozias blows a horn and the other holds up a 
 branch and crown of laurel. On the ground near the 
 base of the steps several men and women express their 
 joy by dancing while a band of others play upon dif- 
 ferent kinds of musical instruments, among which are 
 a tambourine, a trumpet and several styles of horns. 
 Others carry warlike banners and flaming torches. In 
 the background is a section of the walls of Bethulia 
 with a tower upon a wooded hill. 
 
 Judith wears a greyish robe, a collar, bracelets and 
 waistband of precious stones, and a magnificent mantle 
 which looks like gold brocade of a unique oriental de- 
 sign, bordered round the bottom with triple rows of 
 pearls, and lined with delicately toned silk. Ozias 
 wears a rich salmon-pink robe lined with fur, and 
 Achior a tunic of practically the same tone as the one 
 he wears in the second tapestry, and a luminous blue 
 mantle with silver lights. 
 
 Latin Inscription. 
 
 DEVS ISRAELIS EXERCITVM HOLOFERNIS 
 FVNDIT, ET MVNERA IVDITH DANTVR. 
 
 Signature— E. LEYNIERS. Mark— Bf B. 
 
 Description. 
 
 The eighth tapestry represents Judith attended by 
 four maids standing upon a platform outside the walls 
 of Bethulia with Ozias, Charmis, Chabris, and their 
 bodyguard on her right, and Achior with his body- 
 guard on her left. Marah stands behind her and looks 
 
27 
 
 over her shoulder. The maid nearest the spectator 
 stoops at the side of her mistress, holds a small trunk, 
 which is evidently of considerably weight, and with 
 half-turned face looks upward. The next nearest stands 
 behind Judith and leans toward Achior with both 
 arms extended in a gesture of astonishment. At the 
 feet of Judith are piled some of the treasures of Holo- 
 fernes consisting of plate, precious stones and vessels 
 of gold and silver of various kinds and sizes. In the 
 defile of the mountains on the right, the Jewish army 
 pursue the panic stricken Assyrians. Nearer the front 
 a caravan brings more treasures from the camp, while 
 the men leading it stagger under the weight of their 
 loads of loot, as they climb the hill upon which stand 
 Judith and what may be termed her court. The dark 
 walls and towers of Bethulia form an admirable back- 
 ground to the main scene. The figure of Judith natur- 
 ally holds the eye longer than that of any of the others. 
 Her look, her mien, and her gestures attest that her 
 heart is so full of thankfulness to the Almighty for 
 the wit and courage vouchsafed her to save her coun- 
 try from destruction that she can pay scant heed to the 
 treasures piled at her feet. Her hair is unbound and 
 falls in ringlets over her shoulders. She wears a grey- 
 ish robe, a girdle of precious stones and the same 
 sumptuous mantle as in the preceding tapestry. 
 
 Ozias turns toward Charmis and judging by his 
 gesture expresses his astonishment that the Assyrian 
 chief possessed such rich and varied treasures. Char- 
 mis stands with both hands resting upon the head of 
 his heavy stafif, a model of dignity and sobriety. His 
 turban is ornamented with precious stones and his 
 green mantle of velvety cloth contrasts beautifully 
 
28 
 
 with the delicately toned mantle of Ozias. In fact, this 
 contrast of colors throws out the whole figure of Char- 
 mis in grand relief. The attitude and gestures of 
 Achior proclaim his adoration of Judith and his won- 
 derment over her miraculous exploits. The contrast 
 of colors in this instance also makes his figure stand 
 out in high relief. He wears a helmet ornamented 
 with ostrich feathers and a blue mantle of velvety 
 material, with silver lights. 
 

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GETTY CENTER LIBRARY