Artwork
The Massacre of the Innocents
The Massacre of the Innocents is an oil painting by the Neoclassicist artist François-Joseph Navez. It dates from 1824 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
François‑Joseph Navez’s 1824 oil painting The Massacre of the Innocents presents a turbulent biblical tableau rendered in the Neoclassical idiom. The composition centers on a group of distressed women and children, their figures illuminated against a shadowy backdrop that hints at an urban setting under a muted sky. The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The scene interprets the biblical episode in which King Herod orders the killing of newborns, focusing on the human cost rather than the act itself. Navez emphasizes the anguish of mothers and the vulnerability of infants, using gestures, such as a woman clutching a child and another reaching toward a chest, to convey fear, loss, and a desperate plea for protection.
Technique & Style
Employing strong chiaroscuro, Navez contrasts bright, saturated garments, yellow, green, blue, with deep, indeterminate shadows, heightening the drama. The rendering of flesh and fabric reflects the Neoclassical emphasis on clear modeling and controlled composition, while the loose handling of background elements suggests a move toward Romantic sensibility in the treatment of emotion.
History & Provenance
Created in 1824, the painting reflects Navez’s mature period when he was known for portraiture and genre scenes within the Belgian Neoclassical tradition. After changing hands in private collections, the canvas entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on display as an example of early‑19th‑century religious narrative painting.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
François-Joseph Navez (16 November 1787 – 12 October 1869) was a Belgian Neoclassical painter; known for his portraits and genre scenes.
Pilgrimage in the Roman Campagna
Roman Shepherd Family in the Campagna
Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist
Portrait of Léonard Pierre Joseph, Viscount du Bus de Gisignies, Commissioner-General
Self Portrait
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas
Hagar and Ismael in the Desert
Portrait of the family of August Donat de Hemptinne (1783-....)
Lictors bring to Brutus the bodies of his sons
Hagar in the desert
Andromache in Despair at the Sight of Hector's Body
Hecabe mit den Leichnamen ihrer Kinder Polyxena und Polydoros am Grab des Achill
The Death of Procris
Death of Dido
The Death of Procris
Cassandra in the Temple of Minerva
The Daughter of Jairius- Massacre of the Innocents