Artwork
Massacre of the Firstborn and Egyptian Darkness
Massacre of the Firstborn and Egyptian Darkness is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Unknown. It dates from 1490 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Massacre of the Firstborn and Egyptian Darkness is a hand‑coloured woodcut printed around 1490 in Spain. The image is divided into two contrasting zones, each rendered in flat blocks of red, green and black, with crisp outlines and no gradation of tone.
Subject & Meaning
The left half depicts a chaotic tableau of bodies lying on the ground, suggesting a violent slaughter, while a standing figure brandishes a torch. On the right, a richly dressed man occupies a raised platform, clutching a staff and a candle, surrounded by attendants, implying authority or ritual.
Technique & Style
Executed as a woodcut, the design was carved into a block of wood, inked, and pressed onto paper before being coloured by hand. The artist employs bold, linear contours and a limited palette, favoring graphic clarity over modelling or perspective.
Context
Created at the close of the 15th century, the print reflects the period’s interest in biblical narratives and their visual dramatization. Its Spanish origin places it within the early diffusion of printmaking techniques that were spreading across Europe after the invention of the movable type press.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
