23 Works, Today, June 3rd. is William Hilton’s day, his story, illustrated with footnotes #152
Jun 13, 2021
Preparatory study for “Massacre of the Innocents”
Oil on canvas
4.5ins x 14ins
Private collection
The Massacre of the Innocents is the incident in the nativity narrative of the Gospel of Matthew in which Herod the Great, king of Judea, orders the execution of all male children two years old and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem. The Catholic Church regards them as the first Christian martyrs. A majority of Herod biographers, and “probably a majority of biblical scholars,” hold the event to be myth, legend or folklore. The Massacre of the Innocents
William Hilton RA (3 June 1786–30 December 1839), was a British portrait and history painter…