Figures from a Massacre of the Innocents n.d.

Figures from a Massacre of the Innocents was created around 1600 by Andrea Boscoli. The artwork depicts a harrowing scene derived from the Gospel of Matthew, in which King Herod orders the execution of all male children in an attempt to kill the infant Jesus. Boscoli captures a moment of intense conflict: a soldier, sword in hand, clashes with a mother desperately trying to protect her child. Boscoli's Italy was a society deeply shaped by patriarchal structures and religious doctrine, and this drawing vividly portrays the gendered dimensions of violence and power. The soldier embodies male authority and ruthless force, while the mother symbolizes the vulnerability and fierce protectiveness of women. The drawing underscores the helplessness of the innocent in the face of unchecked power, and the deeply personal tragedy of those caught in its wake. Boscoli’s study invites us to reflect on the human cost of political and religious conflict.