1495
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Massacre of the Innocents is a 1495 ink by Israhel van Meckenem, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a chaotic scene of soldiers in armor killing babies and families. The left side has a bearded man in robes watching, while the right side is packed with struggling people—some lying dead, others reaching out in fear. At the top, a few cherubic figures look down from a dark background. Notice how the artist uses sharp lines and deep shadows to make the violence feel urgent. The babies and parents are all twisted in dramatic poses, while the soldiers’ armor looks heavy and real. This is an example of engraving, a technique where artists etch lines into metal to create prints.
Israhel van Meckenem (c. 1445 – 10 November 1503), also known as Israhel van Meckenem the Younger, was a German printmaker and goldsmith, perhaps of a Dutch family origin. He was the most prolific engraver of the…
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