The Bible In Paintings, 27: JEALOUS HEROD SLAUGHTERS THE INNOCENTS

Click on "Image Source" under each work | c.2,200 BC - c.95 AD | by the Father, Son & Holy Spirit

[Hebrews 11:6]

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JEALOUS

HEROD

SLAUGHTERS

THE INNOCENTS

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MATTHEW 2
New International Version, emphases added
Abrdgd: the complete text is in your Bible

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MATTHEW , Chapter 2

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”

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1 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by GIOTTO
"Slaughter of the Innocents"

1A mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by GIOTTO
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

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2 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by CORNELIS CORNELISZ
"Massacre Of The Innocents"

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3 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by PIETER BRUEGEL the Elder
"Massacre Of The Innocents"

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4 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by NICOLAS POUSSIN
"The Slaughter of the Innocents"

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5 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by FRANCESCO TREVISANI
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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6 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by LUCA GIORDANO
"Killing of the Children in Bethlehem"

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7 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JOHANN MORITZ RUGENDAS
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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8 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
"Massacre of the Innocents"
Altar detail - St. Lorenz's, Nuremberg, Germany

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9 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by PALMA IL GIOVANE
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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10 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by DUCCIO DI BUONINSEGNA, 1309
"Slaughter of the Innocents"

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11 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by GIUSTO DE' MENABUOI, 1376
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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12 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by ANDREA DI BARTOLO and BARTOLO DI FREDI, 1380
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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13 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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14 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by MASTER BERTRAM, 1405
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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15 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by DOMENICO GHIRLANDAIO
"Slaughter of the Innocents"

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16 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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17 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by MATTEO DI GIOVANNI, 1482
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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18 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
Detail

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19 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by FRA ANGELICO, 1451
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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20 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by HANS MEMLING, 1480
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

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21 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JACOPO TINTORETTO, 1584
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

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22 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by MARTEN VAN CLEVE
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

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23 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by LUCAS CRANACH the Elder, 1515
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

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24 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by DANIELE DA VOLTERRA, 1557
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

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25 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by VITUS HEINRICH, 1593
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

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26 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by GIROLAMO DONNINI
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

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27 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JOHANN CHRISTOPH RINCKLAKE, 1785
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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28 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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29 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by CARLO ARIENTI, 1842
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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30 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by LÉON COGNIET, 1824
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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31 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by ALEXANDRE LOUIS LELOIR
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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32 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by FRANÇOIS-JOSEPH NAVEZ, 1824
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

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33 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by ANGELO VISCONTI, 1860
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

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34 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by GUIDO RENI, 1611
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

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35 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by PETER PAUL RUBENS, 1612
"The Massacre of the Innocents"

36 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by PETER PAUL RUBENS, 1612
"Massacre of the Innocents"

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37 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
Detail

38 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by MEISTER VON SCHLOSS LICHTENSTEIN
"Bethlehem Infanticide"

→ a n d... f i n a l l y ←

→ A n d... F i n a l l y ←

→A N D...F I N A L L Y←

AND..FINALLY

FINALLY

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39 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by WILLIAM HOLMAN HUNT
"The Triumph of the Innocents"

[Hebrews 11:6]

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[Hebrews 11:6]

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Preview of
COMING
ATTRACTIONS

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SNEAK PEEK: Next time,
YOUNG JESUS
GROWS UP

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[Red Badger]

https://www.inner.org/jewish-home-family/mother-rachel-cries-for-her-children

[Hebrews 11:6]

Well, Red, I read that, including this:

"Rachel is considered the mother of the entire Jewish people. Whenever we need something, we travel to her Tomb in Beit Lechem (Bethlehem) to beseech God there. There are many stories of prayers that have been answered there, all in Mother Rachel’s merit."

So, what is your point?

[Red Badger]

Just FYI...............

[Hebrews 11:6]

OK.................

[Red Badger]

I do find it a little disturbing that some Jewish sects look upon Rachel in nearly identical ways as Catholics do Mary, mother of Jesus.

Looks a whole lot like Idolatry worship of Ishtar/Astoreth/Astarte......................

[Hebrews 11:6]

That was new to me. While I, too, am disturbed by such idolatry, it is a small thing compared to their resolute rejection of their true Messiah.

[Red Badger]

Small parts fit together to make larger parts...............

[left that other site]

#30 is the ONLY one of these that I like. (It's devastatingly real in its simplicity) The artist is not showing off his ability to paint a human figure, but does a nice job of painting the human SOUL.

PS: I have been in St. Jerome's Cave in Bethlehem which is also known as The Cave of the Innocents.

[Hebrews 11:6]

OK, I’ll bite: why is it also called that?

[etabeta]

Not considering the greatness of all artists representing this awful event, I like two for different reasons. One by Léon Cogniet who, with artistic restrain, gives us the heartbreaking moment of a mother about to lose her child. She is cornered, she is vulnerable, terrified, but still tries to protect her baby. The painting has a contemporary feel and, although based on a Biblical story, it also illustrates the insanity of wars.
Another interesting painting is the Pieter Bruegel at #3. He takes the Biblical scene and carries it into a 16th c. Netherlandish village, where the occupying Spanish soldiers attack the villagers. Impactful the group of mounted soldiers guarding against any escape and the stark colors against the frigid winter landscape.

[left that other site]

Did you not read the link?

In the cave of St. Jerome, where he translated the Scriptures into the Vulgate (Latin) there were found a large number of skeletons of children between 1 and 2 years old.

Dated from the 1st century.

[Hebrews 11:6]

I did, but not carefully enough--my apology. ("You don't have to get snippy about it.")

Thanks for bringing it to our and my attention.

Very obviously, your visit with Mike to Israel (two weeks in 1984?) made the profoundest impression on you. We have discussed it previously, and in the year I have followed you I've read several stories you've related from it. It is wonderful that you do so, for it enables your readers like me, who have never been, to visit Israel vicariously through you.

I would encourage you, Mary-Lou, to keep telling them, but I know you need no encouragement.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Both of you singled out Cogniet’s #30, and it jumped off the page to me also—clearly, the star of a disgusting show. It won’t be the last sad spectacle here....

[left that other site]

I didn’t mean to be snippy.

Sorry.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Oh, please—you can snipe at me all day every day, and I deserved it. But how often do I get to quote W’s famous line?

[spankalib]

My favorites (like ltos, it's difficult to "like" anything about this horrific event), are #37 & #39...same artist; William Holman Hunt.

He paints it the way that I actually think...that all innocents get a free pass. It's jmo, but I've felt this way to comfort myself over the years after having experienced the death of my sister at 13 (I was 18), and also, it eases my sadness for all innocent deaths from wars, the cruelty of man, abortion(!).

Hunt was a founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite "brotherhood", which used symbolism heavily, and it's a 'style' I very much relate to, given that most of the celebrated so-called 'art' of my generation is/was mostly comprised of non-representational garbage. Remember the commie goals read into the record (1963)? Yeah:
22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."
23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." I was 11 years old, didn't know nuthin!

The detail in Hunt's work is beautiful! Did you notice the young boy looking down at the rent in his tunic? Just that idea, that there is more in store for the innocents killed - he makes this event somehow, if not exactly joyous, at least hopeful...and less sad. (given the subject? that quite an accomplishment).

Hunt's work is regularly inspiring and hopeful....'looking forward' to something better. I found a neat site that analyses art, Khan Academy, and they analyze another of Hunt's work here:
https://smarthistory.org/hunt-the-awakening-conscience-3/

Enjoy!

[left that other site]

I really like the Pre-Raphaelites!

Although Tissot was not one of their number, his delicate realism is reminiscent of their style.

[left that other site]

From your link:

For Hunt, the moral of the story was an important element in any of his subjects. He was a deeply religious man and committed to the principles of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and John Ruskin. In fact, shortly after this painting was completed, Hunt embarked on a journey to the Holy Land, convinced that in order to paint religious subjects, he had to go to the actual source for inspiration. The fact that a trip to the Holy Land was a difficult, expensive and dangerous journey at the time was immaterial to him.

James Tissot had a similar philosophy regarding the painting of religious subjects, and he also spent time in the Holy Land. That's probably why I like his work so much! :-)

Thanks for sharing that article.