17th CENTURY, AFTER RAPHAEL Massacre of the innocents oil on copper 59 x 92cm Raphael's rendition of the Massacre of the Innocents is rather unusual when compared to the larger body of work by the Renaissance master, renowned for his harmony and balance. The Massacre of the Innocents contradicts this by being a highly active topic, in which Roman soldiers are seen slaughtering the newborns of Bethlehem. This early rendition, however, would come to inspire several other important renditions of the subject, such as the ones of Tintoretto and Rubens.