All About Massacre of the Innocents by Guido Reni

Title of Artwork: “Massacre of the Innocents”

Artwork by Guido Reni

Year Created 1611

Summary of Massacre of the Innocents

Giotto Reni created this painting in 1611 for the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna, but it now resides at the Pinacoteca Nazionale in the same city, where it is on display.

All About Massacre of the Innocents

The biblical event of the Massacre of the Innocents, as recounted in Matthew’s Gospel, served as the inspiration for this painting. The piece shows a series of episodes at the same time, but each element is carefully mirrored by an answering one in a classically composed manner.

Screaming mothers and their children are shown with knives in their right hands by two killer soldiers depicted from behind.

One mother is screaming and trying to flee the soldiers who have grabbed her hair; another is fleeing to the right while embracing her child; another, in the lower-left corner, is holding her child on her shoulders; another mother is trying to stop a soldier with her left hand; and a kneeling woman is praying to the sky above the children who have already been slaughtered.

Information Citations

En.wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/.