Jephthah and His Daughter
Medium
etching and engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed to plate mark): 52.5 x 34.3 cm (20 11/16 x 13 1/2 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
1984.84.8
Art Historical Context
This striking print, *Jephthah and His Daughter*, captures a dramatic moment from the biblical Book of Judges. Jephthah, an Israelite leader, vows to sacrifice the first person he meets upon returning victorious from battle—only to encounter his own beloved daughter. The composition conveys both the emotional intensity of their encounter and the tragic weight of the vow, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of duty, sacrifice, and fate. Created around 1745, the work is an etching and engraving produced by publisher Joseph Wagner after a design by the Florentine artist Giuseppe Zocchi. In the...