In the 1611 - Grade: B+ PDF

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Aries Henderson Prof. Darius Spieth ART 1001 3 February 2021 Man’s True Nature

In 1611, Sir Peter Paul Rubens finished one of his most famous works of art and the title of this painting was “Massacre of the Innocents.” The painting was finished during what would go on to be called the Eighty Years’ War. A war for independence for the countries of Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg against Spain. During a time of violence, the painting would push the idea that man is inherently violent, and not even religion is exempt from the violent nature of man. Sir Peter Paul Rubens was born in Siegen as a Protestant. After the persecutions of Protestants in the Netherlands, Peter was forced to be baptized and change religious sects. Growing up, Peter studied Latin and classic literature. He later began his artistic apprenticeship with Tobias Verhaeght. After finishing his education, Peter then went on to commission numerous Flemish Baroque paintings which included many religious and mythological subjects. Religion played a massive role in his work which led Peter to become a large figure in the Catholic Counter-Reformation style of painting. Peter died in 1640 having been remembered for his many nude and intense religious Baroque-style paintings.

In the oil painting “Massacre of the Innocents,” Peter uses the Baroque style to recreate a moment from the biblical text. This 142 x 183 cm piece showcases the biblical narrative of King Herod ordering his men to kill all boys in Bethlehem two years and under. King Herod feared the birth of the king of the Jews. Peter’s style really shines through in the painting as in many of his paintings he depicts the men as strong and powerful individuals and the women as soft skin emotional beings. Peter does not hold back in showing the brutality of the biblical story as he litters the painting with bodies of children beaten and bloody. Peter contrasts the helplessness of the children to the strong and muscle-bound men. With the juxtaposition of the children underneath the powerful men, it demonstrates and emphasizes when it comes down to it, men’s true nature is one of violence. There is no care or remorse for their actions – only cruelty. This can clearly be seen on the right-hand side of the work where a man wrapped in a blue robe is standing on the dead while about to slam another child into the pillar. The women in the painting are accompanied by softer features, lighter skin, and more emotional expressions. The women in the painting are depicted as caring, protective individuals, who show emotion to the terrible atrocity that is occurring. Peter depicts them in similar light as many other artists depict the Virgin Mary. Both having light skin and soft features. However, the difference in the Virgin Mary is depicted as angelic. Whereas, in the painting, the women’s efforts are shown to

demonstrate incredibly powerful actions even though they are failing. Peter makes the key decision to have only the women protect the children while the men are the ones cruelly murdering children, and this seems to be done to emphasize the lack of emotion the men have. Even on the men’s faces, they seem to have no care about the violent actions they are committing. This drives home that by down to their very pure nature, man is inherently violent. Peter painted this image during a time where the Eighty Years’ War was occurring in the country he was from. A war that forced Peter to change his own religion as the Protestants in his home were being persecuted by the Catholics. His home was destroyed by people who worshiped the same God as he did. The war itself took the lives of thousands of people and changed the lives of millions. During a time of war, the painting “Massacre of the Innocents’ can be depicted as a message: that man is still the same no matter what even when it comes to religion that tells you to take care of one another. The painting can be interpreted as an analogy to the murder and persecution of those that in their own right could be considered “innocent” by men who show violence and not remorse for it afterwards....