Artwork
The Sacrifice of Iphigenia
The Sacrifice of Iphigenia is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Gaetano Gandolfi. It dates from 1795 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Beyond the primary human figures, the work incorporates specific iconographic elements including the goddess Diana, a deer, and a putto.
Gaetano Gandolfi's 1795 oil painting depicts the mythological narrative of the sacrifice of Iphigenia. The composition centers on this pivotal moment from Greek mythology, illustrating the intended ritual killing of the princess. Beyond the primary human figures, the work incorporates specific iconographic elements including the goddess Diana, a deer, and a putto.
These figures contribute to the painting's symbolic depth, likely alluding to the divine intervention or the substitutionary nature of the sacrifice often associated with the myth. As a work classified within the genre of mythological painting, the piece serves as a visual representation of the dramatic tension between human obligation and divine will inherent in the classical story.
Technique & Style
The Sacrifice of Iphigenia is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for late eighteenth-century Italian easel painting. Its dimensions, 68.3 cm in height by 45.7 cm in width, indicate a modest, vertically oriented cabinet format suited to private viewing. The work is classified as a mythological painting within the Metropolitan Museum of Art's holdings.
While the sources confirm the medium, support, and modest scale, they provide no further detail regarding specific pigments, ground preparation, brushwork, surface condition, or stylistic handling, and any such characterization would require external evidence.
History & Provenance
The Sacrifice of Iphigenia is an oil-on-canvas painting created by Gaetano Gandolfi in 1795. The work depicts the mythological scene of the sacrifice of Iphigenia, featuring figures such as Diana and a deer alongside a putto. Currently, the painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
While the specific commission details and the full chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are not detailed in the available records, the work is firmly dated to the year 1795. The piece measures 68.3 cm in height and 45.7 cm in width, representing Gandolfi's engagement with classical mythology during the late eighteenth century. No specific accession number or details of past exhibitions are documented in the available sources.
Overview
This oil painting, titled "The Sacrifice of Iphigenia," presents a highly dramatic and tumultuous scene. At its core lies a woman in a pink garment, prostrate on the ground, surrounded by a throng of figures. The composition is filled with intense emotion, conveyed through the gestures of various individuals and winged putti, some of whom appear distressed or reaching out.
Above the earthly drama, a celestial figure wielding a bow emerges from a cloud, overseeing the unfolding event.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Gaetano Gandolfi (31 August 1734 – 20 June 1802) was an Italian painter, draughtsman and sculptor of the late Baroque period, mainly active in and around Bologna.
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