Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 49 works by Nicolas Régnier in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, Nicolas Régnier's most famous painting is Judith with the Head of Holophernes (1601), whose original hangs in the Museo del Prado, Madrid. The Penitent Magdalene (1660) and Saint Mary Magdalene (1657) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 49 works by Nicolas Régnier in our catalog, the gallery presents the 48 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
The composition focuses on two figures emerging from an impenetrable darkness. A young woman with wavy, reddish-blonde hair gazes directly at the viewer, her expression detached and calm despite the grisly task at hand. She holds a severed head by its hair, the pale skin of the neck contrasting sharply against the deep shadows. Behind her, an older woman’s face is partially visible, peering from the gloom to watch the…
A solitary female figure sits in a moment of profound religious introspection. Arranged in a pyramidal composition, her form draws the eye from the soft contours of her face down through the heavy, sculptural folds of her crimson and cerulean drapery to a single bare foot. The scene is defined by a dramatic chiaroscuro, where intense light carves her pale skin and the tactile textures of her garments out of…
The air in the room feels heavy, thick with the scent of old wood and the weight of silent prayer. A single woman sits in the center of a deep, shadowy space, her presence illuminated by a sharp, directional light that cuts through the darkness from the upper left. This light catches the pale curve of her skin and the heavy, dramatic folds of her crimson and cerulean drapery, making…
A young man is captured from the waist up, his presence defined by a sharp, directional light originating from the upper left. This illumination carves his features out of an indeterminate dark background, creating a profound sense of three-dimensional volume. The subject wears a large black hat, its brim and a small golden ornament providing the few structured edges against the soft, blended textures of his skin. A crisp white…
This mythological painting, titled Hero and Leander, was executed by the artist Nicolas Régnier. Rendered in oil on canvas, the work captures a moment of profound tragedy through a dramatic composition. The scale of the piece is substantial, measuring 155.3 x 209.5 cm, which lends a physical presence to the figures and their surroundings.
In the portrait titled "Portrait of a Young Man with a Sword" by Nicolas Régnier, the subject is presented in a classic bust-length composition. The young man is depicted from the chest up, positioned slightly off-center within the frame. He maintains a direct gaze toward the viewer. His attire consists of a dark garment paired with a prominent, stiff white collar that provides a sharp tonal contrast against the darker…
An elderly man is captured in a three-quarter length pose, his body turned slightly away while his gaze returns toward the viewer. He is draped in a voluminous red mantle, the heavy folds of which suggest a thick, tactile fabric like velvet or wool. The lighting is stark, employing a dramatic chiaroscuro that pulls the subject's weathered face and prominent forehead out of a deep, indistinct background. This intense illumination…
In Allegory of Winter by Nicolas Régnier, a group of figures gathers within a tightly composed, dark scene. The horizontal arrangement feels crowded, pressing the subjects toward the viewer through a shallow depth of field. This proximity creates a sense of immediate, heavy interaction. A single figure on the far left breaks the tension, looking toward the viewer with a slight smile. The rest of the group remains caught in…
The oil on canvas titled Allegory of Autumn was executed by the artist Nicolas Régnier. This work is dated to 1617. The painting presents a horizontal arrangement of figures that occupies the immediate foreground of the composition.
The scene unfolds through Portrait of a Man with a Guitar, a work by the artist Nicolas Régnier. This oil on canvas portrait captures a singular moment of musical devotion, frozen in time. The subject sits immersed in his performance, his presence defined by the quiet intensity of his posture. It is a piece that invites a close gaze into the private world of the musician.
Saint Matthew and the Angel1623 · John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
12
The Repentant Magdalene1625 · Detroit Institute of Arts
13
Scene with sleeping man and robber1630 · National Museum in Warsaw
14
Joseph and Potiphar's Wife1628 · Schorr Collection
15
Saint Sebastian tended by Saint Irene1626 · Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen
16
David with the head of Goliath1625 · Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon
17
Head of a Warrior1645 · Royal Collection
18
Divine Inspiration of Music1640 · Los Angeles County Museum of Art
19
Soldier Playing Dice with the Tunic of Christ1650 · Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille
20
Death of Sophonisba1655 · Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister im Schloss Wilhelmshöhe
21
The punishment of Midas1650
22
Death of Sophonisba1666 · New Walk Museum - Art Gallery
23
St Sebastian Tended by St Irene1650 · Mauritshuis
24
The Fortune Teller1625 · The Louvre
25
Cardsharps and Fortune Teller1620 · Szépművészeti Múzeum
26
St John the Baptist1615 · Hermitage Museum
27
Guessing Game1620 · Galleria degli Uffizi
28
A Musician Playing a Lute to a Singing Girl1621
29
Self-Portrait with a Portrait on an Easel1623 · Fogg Museum
30
Self-Portrait with a Portrait on an Easel (detail)1623
31
San giovanni battistaJ. Paul Getty Museum
32
Musical SocietyThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
33
St Sebastian1620 · Hermitage Museum
34
Saint Jerome
35
David with the head of GoliathNational Museum of Serbia
36
Saint Christina
37
CirceHaigh Hall
38
Das Gastmahl in Emmaus1617 · Picture Gallery Sanssouci
39
The annunciationGallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia
40
Allegory of Vanity - Pandora
41
David with the Head of Goliath
42
Pandora
43
Sleeper waked up with a candlestickMusée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen
44
Sleeper Awakened by a Young Woman with a Lit WickNationalmuseum
45
Mourners hl. Mary Magdalene with the ointment jar
46
Writing st. hieronymusGemäldegalerie
47
Saint SebastianChrysler Museum of Art
48
VanityMuseum of Fine Arts of Lyon
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Nicolas Régnier | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Kunsthistorisches Museum |
Vienna | 2 | Saint Mary Magdalene, Male Portrait |
 Detroit Institute of Arts |
Detroit | 2 | Portrait of a Young Man with a Sword, The Repentant Magdalene |
 Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen |
Rouen | 2 | Saint Sebastian tended by Saint Irene, Sleeper waked up with a candlestick |
 Hermitage Museum |
Saint Petersburg | 2 | St John the Baptist, St Sebastian |
 Museo del Prado |
Madrid | 1 | Judith with the Head of Holophernes |
 Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery |
Birmingham | 1 | The Penitent Magdalene |
 National Gallery of Victoria |
Melbourne | 1 | Hero and Leander |
 Musée de Grenoble |
Grenoble | 1 | Portrait of a Man with a Guitar |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
The composition focuses on two figures emerging from an impenetrable darkness. A young woman with wavy, reddish-blonde hair gazes directly at the viewer, her expression detached and calm despite the grisly task at hand. She holds a severed head by its hair, the pale skin of the neck contrasting sharply against the deep shadows. Behind her, an older woman’s face is partially visible, peering from the gloom to watch the…
In the portrait titled "Portrait of a Young Man with a Sword" by Nicolas Régnier, the subject is presented in a classic bust-length composition. The young man is depicted from the chest up, positioned slightly off-center within the frame. He maintains a direct gaze toward the viewer. His attire consists of a dark garment paired with a prominent, stiff white collar that provides a sharp tonal contrast against the darker…
A young man is captured from the waist up, his presence defined by a sharp, directional light originating from the upper left. This illumination carves his features out of an indeterminate dark background, creating a profound sense of three-dimensional volume. The subject wears a large black hat, its brim and a small golden ornament providing the few structured edges against the soft, blended textures of his skin. A crisp white…
A heavy, atmospheric darkness envelops the scene, where a single, unseen light source carves figures out of the shadows. A man lies in a deep, vulnerable sleep, his form partially obscured by the gloom. Above him, a masked figure reaches with intent, creating a sharp diagonal tension that pulls the viewer into the immediate threat of the theft. The composition relies on chiaroscuro to define the textures of heavy fabrics…
In Head of a Warrior, Nicolas Régnier presents a close-up study of a male figure that commands immediate attention. The composition focuses tightly on the head and upper torso, pulling the viewer into an intimate space. Positioned slightly off-center, the warrior breaks the symmetry of the frame, creating a sense of natural, unposed presence. The perspective is a direct, eye-level view, meeting the subject's gaze in a way that feels…
The air in the room feels heavy, thick with the scent of old wood and the weight of silent prayer. A single woman sits in the center of a deep, shadowy space, her presence illuminated by a sharp, directional light that cuts through the darkness from the upper left. This light catches the pale curve of her skin and the heavy, dramatic folds of her crimson and cerulean drapery, making…
A solitary female figure sits in a moment of profound religious introspection. Arranged in a pyramidal composition, her form draws the eye from the soft contours of her face down through the heavy, sculptural folds of her crimson and cerulean drapery to a single bare foot. The scene is defined by a dramatic chiaroscuro, where intense light carves her pale skin and the tactile textures of her garments out of…
Judith with the Head of Holophernes (1601), Museo del Prado, Madrid. The Penitent Magdalene (1660) and Saint Mary Magdalene (1657) come next.
13 years old: Judith with the Head of Holophernes dates from 1601, and Nicolas Régnier was born in 1588.
Judith with the Head of Holophernes, The Penitent Magdalene, Saint Mary Magdalene, Male Portrait, Hero and Leander, Portrait of a Young Man with a Sword, Portrait of Domenico Contarini in a red mantle, Allegory of Winter, Allegory of Autumn and Portrait of a Man with a Guitar. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 49 works by Nicolas Régnier, dated from 1601 to 1666.
Mostly in Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna), Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit) and Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen (Rouen). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1620s: 15 of the 48 works on this page were made then, Male Portrait among them.
On this page, the earliest is Judith with the Head of Holophernes (1601) and the latest Death of Sophonisba (1666).
Man (17), Woman (13) and Skin (13), across the 48 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 22 of the 48 works on this page.
Baroque, judging by the originals on this page.
Saint Mary Magdalene and Male Portrait: the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna holds 2 of the works on this page.
