1750
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Massacre of the Innocents is a 1750 ink by Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a chaotic scene with a group of people in rough, quick strokes. Some figures are sprawled on the ground, while others stand or kneel, their arms raised in panic. The colors are mostly earthy browns and grays, with a few white highlights to define faces and limbs. The sketch feels urgent, like a moment frozen in motion. The loose, sketchy lines suggest it might have been drawn fast—maybe as a study for a bigger work. If this style intrigues you, look up Baroque next.
Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini (29 April 1675 – 2 or 5 November 1741) was one of the leading Venetian history painters of the early 18th century.
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