The Massacre of the Innocents
The Met
Artist: Sano di Pietro (Ansano di Pietro di Mencio)(Italian, Siena 1405–1481 Siena)
Date: ca. 1470
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Tempera on wood
Dimensions: 11 7/8 x 17 3/8 in. (30.2 x 44.1 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Irma N. Straus, 1958
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
A king on a throne watches soldiers with swords confronting women and infants indoors
Detailed Description
The image depicts a crowded indoor scene with a king on a throne on the left and a group of soldiers, women, and infants on the right. The king, seated on a white and gold throne with a red patterned backrest, wears a gold and blue patterned robe and a gold crown. He has a dark beard and holds a thin staff in his right hand, looking towards the scene on the right. To the right, several figures are engaged in a violent act. Two soldiers, dressed in pink and red tunics with green or brown leggings, hold swords. One soldier on the far right raises a sword above his head. Another soldier in the center-left of this group holds a sword pointed towards a woman in a blue dress who cradles an infant. This woman, along with others, appears distressed, with some women covering their faces or looking down. At least three infants are visible. One is held by the woman in blue. Another lies on the floor near her feet, wrapped in white cloth, with green skin and red marks. A third infant, also wrapped in white with green skin and red marks, is being held by a woman in a blue dress kneeling on the far right. The floor is a light pink, and the background wall is light gray with blue window openings and red-topped columns.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
