RAIMONDI, Marcantonio
(b. ca. 1480, Bologna, d. ca. 1534, Bologna)

Massacre of the Innocents with fir tree

1511-12
Engraving, second state of two, 277 x 428 mm
Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest

Marcantonio Raimondi made six engravings for Raphael. These were the products of an operation for which Raphael provided the designs, Raimodi the engraving skills, and Baviera the organization of the printing and sale.

The Massacre of the Innocents is probably the earliest of the six engravings in which Raphael's name appears. Two highly accomplished and very similar versions of the engraving have come down to us: one is called "Massacre of the Innocents with fir tree" for a small tree in the upper right corner, and the other is known "Massacre of the Innocents without fir tree." Both prints were produced by Marcantonio himself, and the version with fir tree was created first.