The Massacre of the Innocents 1807

Curator: Francesco Bartolozzi gives us "The Massacre of the Innocents." A whirlwind of emotion etched into this print, wouldn't you say? Editor: My first impression is the raw, visceral energy. You can almost feel the desperation radiating from the figures. You can see the clear classist infrastructure built right into its material. Curator: Exactly. Bartolozzi, born in 1728, really captures that tension, doesn’t he? Look at how the mothers fight, how the soldiers are driven, and those cherubic figures watching from above. The complete opposite ends of human nature displayed in one scene. Editor: It’s interesting to consider the materials, the engraving process itself. Each line, each mark meticulously placed, speaks to a system of production, a kind of… labor. And, this print allowed for the mass distribution of a single image. Curator: Absolutely, it is a perfect example of the collision between horror and something ethereal. Editor: An intersection, truly, where artistry, materiality, and the brutal reality of the subject collide head-on. Curator: It's an image that stays with you long after you've looked away. Editor: Definitely, the printmaking medium amplified the message and democratized access.