The Massacre of the Innocents (ca. 1512–13, Met-Objekt 5763)
Original title: The Massacre of the Innocents
kurzbeschreibung
A black-and-white engraving on paper, roughly 28.1 by 43.0 cm, brings the Massacre of the Innocents from the Gospel of Matthew before the viewer's eyes. Marcantonio Raimondi made this print, The Massacre of the Innocents at Bethlehem, around 1512–13; it belongs among the printed works that made biblical scenes of violence available to a collecting public.
Description
Bodies of children are crammed together, arms are raised to strike, women flee — several groups of figures spread across the surface push in different directions. Muscles and faces are carefully worked out, and the bodies feel physically tangible. Behind the struggling figures, architecture and a bridge suggest the setting. The layout thus breaks into several zones, each clustered around its own movement.
Context
The engraving was made around 1512–13, probably after a design by Raphael, with whom Raimondi worked in Rome. Depictions of the Massacre of the Innocents were highly popular in the Renaissance because they took violence and martyrdom as their subject. This print belonged to a series aimed at collectors and helped establish Raimondi's reputation as an engraver.
Impact
The crowded, restless arrangement creates a tension that makes the horror of the event almost palpable. At the same time, the precise linework and evenly distributed light ensure that the print, despite its brutal subject, keeps a composed, almost classical poise.
Technique
For printing, the design was engraved into a metal plate and then pulled onto paper. Lines of varying density and strength produce the shading and allow finely graded tonal values. This method permits high detail — a possibility Raimondi consistently exploited in his printed work.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)