Artwork
Massacre of the Innocents
Massacre of the Innocents is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Luca Signorelli. It dates from 1496 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Armenia.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1496 by the Tuscan painter Luca Signorelli, this oil on canvas portrays the biblical Massacre of the Innocents. The composition is dominated by a tumultuous crowd of figures, rendered in a dark palette of browns, blacks and reds that convey a sense of violence and disorder. The work is part of the National Gallery of Armenia’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The painting illustrates the New Testament episode in which King Herod orders the killing of newborn children. Central to the scene are distressed mothers, a kneeling woman in red, a seated figure in black, and a sword‑bearing soldier, while celestial beings—cherubs—hover above, suggesting a juxtaposition of divine presence with human cruelty.
Technique & Style
Signorelli employs his renowned skill in draftsmanship and foreshortening to give depth to the crowded tableau.
Signorelli employs his renowned skill in draftsmanship and foreshortening to give depth to the crowded tableau. Figures are arranged in overlapping planes, creating a dynamic sense of movement. The use of oil allows for rich, layered coloration and subtle modeling of flesh, while the overall composition reflects a transitional aesthetic between the High Renaissance and early Baroque sensibilities.
History & Provenance
Although painted in Italy, the work eventually entered the holdings of the National Gallery of Armenia, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s broader effort to assemble a diverse collection of European Renaissance art, providing Armenian audiences access to a significant example of Signorelli’s oeuvre.
Context
Signorelli’s career unfolded in a period of intense artistic experimentation in Tuscany, where artists explored anatomical precision and dramatic narrative. The Massacre of the Innocents aligns with contemporary religious commissions that sought to evoke emotional responses, and its dark tonal scheme anticipates the heightened drama characteristic of early Baroque painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Luca Signorelli (c. 1441/1445 – 16 October 1523) was an Italian Renaissance painter from Cortona, in Tuscany, who was noted in particular for his ability as a draftsman and his use of foreshortening. His massive frescos…
El expolio de Cristo
Christus vertreibt die Händler aus dem Tempel (?)
Botezul
Carrying the Cross
The Lamentation (Christ at the Tomb)
The Calling of Zacchaeus who is Sitting in a Fig Tree
Golgatha
Golgatha
The Baptism of Christ
Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery
Martyrium der hl. Justina
Massacre of the Innocents