Artwork
Bethlehemitischer Kindermord
Bethlehemitischer Kindermord is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Luca Giordano. It dates from 1669 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1669, this religious canvas by the Italian Baroque painter Luca Giordano is part of the collection of Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. The work depicts a tumultuous episode in which figures clash, tumble, and grasp at weapons amid a disordered foreground, while architectural elements such as towering columns and a distant building frame the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The composition illustrates a violent episode drawn from the biblical narrative of the Massacre of the Innocents, emphasizing the chaos and terror experienced by the victims. Giordano concentrates on the human response—panic, aggression, and desperation—thereby highlighting the moral gravity of the event within a religious context.
Technique & Style
Giordano employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, juxtaposing deep shadows with bright highlights to give the figures a three‑dimensional vigor. The stark contrasts intensify the sense of movement and emotional agitation, while the loose, rapid brushwork typical of his late Baroque style conveys the immediacy of the conflict.
History & Provenance
After its completion in the late 17th century, the painting entered the holdings of the Alte Pinakothek, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s broader effort to represent the dynamic religious art of the Italian Baroque within its European collection.
Context
Giordano, a prolific artist trained in Naples, was known for synthesizing the dramatic flair of Caravaggio with the decorative richness of the Roman school. This work exemplifies his ability to translate biblical drama into a visually arresting tableau, aligning with the Counter‑Reformation’s emphasis on vivid, affective religious imagery.
Artist & collection
Artist
Luca Giordano was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Giordano was one of the most celebrated artists of the Neapolitan Baroque, whose vast output included altarpieces, mythological paintings and…
