~House Of Wolves~

The Massacre of the Innocents, 1590, Museum of the Netherlands

When Herod, the King of Judea, learned that a child destined to become ‘King of the Jews’ would be born in Bethlehem, he ordered the slaughter of all boys under the age of two. The painter portrayed the massacre as a gruesome nightmare. Horror follows upon horror: at lower left a soldier slits a child’s throat, while above them a woman gouges out a soldier’s eyes.

The Massacre of the Innocents, 1590, Museum of the Netherlands

When Herod, the King of Judea, learned that a child destined to become ‘King of the Jews’ would be born in Bethlehem, he ordered the slaughter of all boys under the age of two. The painter portrayed the massacre as a gruesome nightmare. Horror follows upon horror: at lower left a soldier slits a child’s throat, while above them a woman gouges out a soldier’s eyes.

Carità educatrice (Charity the Educator), Lorenzo Bartolini, c. 1842 - c. 1845. Rijksmuseum, NL.

Memorial Portrait of Moses ter Borch, Museum of the Netherlands

The two painters produced this portrait to commemorate their youngest brother, Moses, who was born in 1645. Moses died in 1667 during the storming of Fort Languard near Felixstowe in England. He had served in the Dutch navy against the English since 1664. In the painting Moses is surrounded by symbols that allude to his military life: time (the pocket watch), death (the skull), eternity (the ivy on the rocks) and loyalty (the dogs).

This Thursday I will be at the Rijksmuseum again. I really enjoy walking through their galleries. I will be visiting the Johannes Vermeer exhibition and I will definitely share some pictures.