Who painted The Sacrifice of Iphigenia?

The Sacrifice of Iphigenia was painted by Francesco Fontebasso in 1744.

Where can I see The Sacrifice of Iphigenia?

The Sacrifice of Iphigenia is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Sacrifice of Iphigenia?

The Sacrifice of Iphigenia is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

The Sacrifice of Iphigenia

Francesco Fontebasso , 1744

The Sacrifice of Iphigenia is an ink print by the Baroque artist Francesco Fontebasso. It dates from 1744 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Francesco Fontebasso’s 1744 etching, titled *The Sacrifice of Iphigenia*, presents a turbulent tableau drawn from Greek mythology. Rendered on laid paper, the composition captures the moment when Iphilan, about to be offered to the gods, is lifted amid a chaotic assembly of figures and animals, all set against a storm‑filled sky.

Subject & Meaning

The presence of a mother with child and a dog adds domestic contrast to the ritual’s gravity, underscoring the clash between familial bonds and civic duty.

The work visualises the tragic episode in which Agamemnon, compelled by a divine omen, prepares to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia. A kneeling man, sword in hand, suggests the father’s resolve, while the upward‑lifting figure embodies the imminent offering. The presence of a mother with child and a dog adds domestic contrast to the ritual’s gravity, underscoring the clash between familial bonds and civic duty.

Technique & Style

Fontebasso employed the etching process, incising lines into a copper plate and using acid to deepen them, then printing onto laid paper. The image is defined by crisp, incisive lines and pronounced chiaroscuro, which generate a sense of motion and tension. The swirling clouds and floating figures are rendered with delicate hatching, while deep shadows accentuate the twisted bodies, reflecting the late‑Baroque sensibility of dramatic intensity.

History & Provenance

A product of Venice’s vibrant artistic milieu, the print reflects Fontebasso’s training with Sebastiano Ricci and the influence of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Though primarily active in Venice, Fontebasso later contributed decorative schemes in Saint Petersburg, indicating the work’s circulation beyond Italy. The etching survives in several museum collections, attesting to its continued scholarly interest as a representative example of mid‑18th‑century printmaking.