Yael and Sisera

Alessandro Turchi (1600-1610)

Yael or Jael is a character mentioned in the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible, as the heroine who killed Sisera to deliver Israel from the troops of king Jabin. She was the wife of Heber the Kenite.

Ottavio Vannini (1640s)

 God told Deborah (a prophetess and leader) that she would deliver Israel from Jabin. Deborah called Barak to make up an army to lead into battle against Jabin on the plain of Esdraelon. But Barak demanded that Deborah would accompany him into the battle. Deborah agreed but prophesied that the honour of the killing of the other army's captain would be given to a woman. Jabin's army was led by Sisera (Judg. 4:2), who fled the battle after all was lost.

Gregorio Lazzarin (second half of 17th c.)

Yael received the fleeing Sisera at the settlement of Heber on the plain of Zaanaim. Yael welcomed him into her tent with apparent hospitality. She 'gave him milk' 'in a lordly dish'. Having drunk the refreshing beverage, he lay down and soon sank into the sleep of the weary. While he lay asleep Yael crept stealthily up to him, holding a tent peg and a mallet. She drove it through his temples with such force that the peg pinned his head to the ground. As a result of the killing of Sisera, God gave the victory to Israel. Yael is considered "blessed", according to the text, because of her action.

Artemisia Gentileschi (1620)

There are many similarities with the Judith-Holofernes biblic story posted some years ago.
-A woman brings the end of a war killing the enemy leader by cheating him for fake familiarity
-The fatal strike is a gruesome action on the head of the victim.
-Also Artemisia Gentileschi found both of them interesting themes for expressing through her magnificent art her rage for her molesting and maltreatment by men in a male society of inferiority of women.

Palma il Giovane 1548–1628

Jacopo Amigoni (1739)

Jacopo Vignali (17th cent)