Jephtha's Daughter

This sculpture by Chauncey Bradley Ives presents a character from the Old Testament book of Judges. An Israelite leader engaged in war against the Ammonites, Jephtha made a promise to God that if his army was victorious, he would sacrifice whoever met him upon his return home from battle. Jephtha's army prevailed, but when he arrived at his house, he was met by his only child, a virgin daughter. Here we see the young woman grieving over her imminent death, 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—a victim who was innocent, obedient, and pure.