Bethlehem Mourns Children Killed by Herod

Bethlehem Mourns Children Killed by Herod presents a crowded, circular composition in which grieving mothers and onlookers surround a central mother holding a child, all turning toward the infant with solemn expressions. The figures wear rich reds, blues, and greens, and the elongated, stylized faces and flowing drapery create a rhythmic, linear quality across the scene. The painting reflects Duccio’s late medieval style, blending Byzantine-influenced linearity with emerging naturalism, and the visible cracking and aged surface emphasize its antique, panel-painting character.