'Jeptha's Daughter' (1874) by Chauncey Bradley Ives, marble statue on display at the Institute of Art in Chicago, Illinois
Inscription: Jeptha's Daughter depicts a character from the Old Testament book of Judges. An Israelite leader engaged in war against the Ammonites, Jeptha promised that if God assured his army victory, he would sacrifice whoever met him upon his return home from battle. Jeptha prevailed, but when he arrived at his house, his only child, a virgin daughter, greeted him jubilantly. Here we see the young woman grieving over her imminent tragedy, her tambourine stilled and her head and shoulders drooping with the weight of her knowledge. For audiences of the day, this work represented a form of tragic female bravery- an innocent victim who was obedient, virginal, and ultimately unrewarded.
Canon EOS 10D: 50mm (80mm) f/4 1/200" ISO 200 Capture time: 2008-09-18 11:23:45
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