In The Return of Judith to Mariupol, Alix Cornelissens reimagines Sandro Botticelli’s Renaissance work The Return of Judith to Bethulia through a bold, contemporary lens—replacing biblical legend with modern resistance. Created using meticulously hand-cut stencils and acrylic spray-paint, the painting transforms a classical composition into a visceral protest against tyranny and a tribute to Ukrainian resilience.
The central figure of Judith, historically a symbol of feminine courage and righteous vengeance, strides forward after slaying the oppressor—here, unmistakably Vladimir Putin, whose decapitated head is held aloft in defiance. Her yellow and blue garments directly echo the Ukrainian flag, turning her into a symbol of national identity and female empowerment in the face of brutal occupation.
Gone is Botticelli’s olive branch of peace. In its place, the sunflower—Ukraine’s national flower and a living emblem of resistance and rebirth—blooms defiantly in Judith’s grasp. Her companion follows solemnly, bearing the same yellow robes as Botticelli’s servant, yet with new purpose: the act is not one of myth but of memory.
In the background stands the shattered Mariupol theatre—one of the most haunting images from the Russian siege of Ukraine. Once a site of cultural life, it became a symbol of civilian tragedy. The skeletal trees and scorched sky drive home the real-world devastation that frames this allegorical revenge.
Through his street-art-meets-fine-art style, Cornelissens resurrects Renaissance iconography as a vessel for 21st-century storytelling. The Return of Judith to Mariupol is not just a reimagining of art history—it is a reassertion of the power of image to fight injustice, preserve memory, and stand in solidarity.
- Technique: Entirely hand-cut stencil layers, sprayed with acrylic on canvas—combining street art methods with classical forms.
- Historical Reference: Based on Botticelli’s Return of Judith to Bethulia (ca. 1472), now transformed into a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.
- Symbolism:
o Judith’s yellow and blue dress: Ukrainian flag
o Sunflower: Ukraine’s national symbol
o Putin’s severed head: The fall of authoritarianism
o Mariupol Theatre: War crimes, cultural loss, and defiance
