Gory Details? The Iconography of Human Sacrifice in Greek Art (Plates II-IX)

In 1625, a twenty-five-year-old Pietro da Cortona established his fame with a monumental painting that transformed the epic story of the Sacrifice of Polyxena (Rome, Pinacoteca Capitolina, 2.17 × 4.19 m). Its composition and iconographic details make Polyxena, who stoically awaits her sacrificial death, the center of attention. Polyxena’s “murderer” stands behind her, his arm already raised and about to deliver the fatal blow. The maiden’s uncovered right breast emphasizes her innocence, a vi..