Artwork
The Massacre of the Innocents
The Massacre of the Innocents is a tempera painting by the Sienese School artist Sano di Pietro. It dates from 1470 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created by Sano di Pietro in 1470, the work illustrates the chaotic confrontation between armed men and distressed women amidst the slaughter of children.
The painting depicts the biblical narrative of the Massacre of the Innocents, a religious scene centered on the violent killing of infants by soldiers under the orders of Herod the Great. Created by Sano di Pietro in 1470, the work illustrates the chaotic confrontation between armed men and distressed women amidst the slaughter of children. Iconographically, the composition includes specific figures such as Herod, soldiers wielding swords, and the victims themselves, representing the tragic fulfillment of the prophecy regarding the persecution of the newborn Messiah.
As a work of religious art, the piece serves to visualize the historical and scriptural event, emphasizing the brutality of the massacre and the suffering of the families involved.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1470 by Sano di Pietro, this religious work is a tempera painting on a wooden panel. The composition measures 30.2 cm in height and 44.1 cm in width. Visually, the piece depicts the biblical Massacre of the Innocents, featuring figures such as Herod the Great, soldiers wielding swords, and distressed men, women, and infants.
The application of tempera on panel was a standard medium for Italian religious art of the Quattrocento, allowing for the precise delineation of the violent narrative elements and the distinct characterization of the various subjects within the confined spatial arrangement.
History & Provenance
The Massacre of the Innocents was created around 1470 by Sano di Pietro in tempera on panel. The work’s dating and medium are recorded in both the internal catalogue and Wikidata entries, which attribute the painting to the artist and place its inception in 1470. Today the painting resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as indicated by its current location and accession data in the Wikidata record.
Overview
This tempera painting, titled The Massacre of the Innocents, depicts a harrowing scene within a stone-walled chamber with a distinctive pink floor. A figure on a throne, holding a scepter, presides over the unfolding tragedy. In the foreground, women kneel, clutching their infants, while armed men in colorful robes prepare to strike.
The composition conveys a palpable sense of tension and fear, capturing a moment of extreme distress and impending violence.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sano di Pietro or Ansano di Pietro di Mencio (1405–1481) was an Italian painter of the Sienese school of painting.
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