The Life of the Virgin: The Massacre of the Innocents
1495
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1495
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
The Life of the Virgin: The Massacre of the Innocents is a 1495 by Israhel van Meckenem, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This print shows a chaotic scene of soldiers killing babies in a room. A woman on the right clutches a dead child, her face twisted in grief. In the background, more soldiers stand over bodies scattered on the floor. An old man in the left corner watches, his hand on his chest. The artist packed every inch with tiny details—faces, weapons, and even a cat peeking from the shadows. This is part of a series about the Virgin Mary’s life, but this moment is brutal. Look up Renaissance next to see how artists like this used stories to teach lessons.
