Kindermoord te Betlehem c. 1751 - 1790

"Kindermoord te Betlehem" (The Massacre of the Innocents) is an etching by Stefano Mulinari, an Italian artist, created between 1751 and 1790. The print depicts the biblical story of King Herod's order to kill all male infants in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the infant Jesus. Mulinari's interpretation of the scene shows a soldier wielding a sword over a helpless mother who shields her child. The etching's composition is dynamic and emotive, emphasizing the tragedy and horror of the massacre. It serves as a powerful reminder of the fragility of innocence and the consequences of cruelty and violence.