The Massacre of the Innocents (ca. 1512–13, Met-Objekt 5762)
Original title: The Massacre of the Innocents
kurzbeschreibung
Agostino Veneziano (Agostino dei Musi) made this engraving around 1512–13. It measures 27.0 x 43.3 cm and depicts the biblical Massacre of the Innocents.
Description
A dense crowd of women, men, and children surges across a bridge in violent motion. Some figures carry weapons; others collapse, die, or cower in fear. Behind them rise the buildings and towers of a historic city. The people wear clothing of the period. The layout feels restless, with figures scattered in every direction. Light falls evenly, making contours and shadows stand out sharply.
Context
Agostino Veneziano was an Italian engraver of the Renaissance who worked in the workshop of Marcantonio Raimondi. He produced this print around 1512–13, when biblical subjects were common in printmaking. The design derives from a composition by Raphael, which Veneziano translated into engraving.
Impact
The agitated arrangement of figures and the dramatic action stir strong emotions in the viewer. Even lighting and precise linework give the sheet a peculiar tension: calm in execution, yet full of movement in subject.
Technique
For this engraving, the design was incised into a copper plate and then printed. This method allows the finest details and exact line control characteristic of the Renaissance. The monochrome rendering emphasizes the contours and shadows of the figures.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)