The Sacrifice of Polyxena (formerly The Sacrifice of Iphigenia)

It was long assumed that this painting of the Sacrifice of Polyxena was by the same hand as a related etching, which is securely attributed to the Flemish artist Gérard de Lairesse. Important compositional and stylistic differences, however, suggest that the painting is in fact by a later artist, still unidentified, who used Lairesse’s design as loose inspiration for his own work. Lairesse’s early paintings do show an interest in strong color, gesture, and dramatic lighting, but those features are considerably exaggerated here—in a manner perhaps meant to intensify the viewer’s emotional response.