"C. 1800 Massacre of the innocents" is neither

Horta, from Belgium, sells on 22 January 2018 a "Flemish School, ca. 1800" "Massacre of the Innocents", an oil on copper estimated at 3,500 to 5,000 Euro.

The work depicts the slaying of adult women, and their immediate elevation to the sainthood as martyrs, and is thus obviously not a "massacre of the innocents" which involves babies and toddlers. The most famous episode of such a massacre in old master paintings is probably the story of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgins (known from the Memling masterpiece or someone like the Master of the Saint Ursula Legend).

The work for sale is painted by or after the Francken workshop (though it is one of the many mediocre Francken pieces, not one of the rarer examples which show the true genius of some of the Francken family members). Another, much dirtier but otherwise very similar version was sold as "circle of Frans Francken II" by Christie's in 2011 for £2,250. The version for sale now is not the cleaned version of that one though, which has an extra figure at the bottom centre, and is marginally larger (56 by 74 instead of 54 by 70 cm).

A much better version by Francken can also be found online, but I haven't found the location or auction house or price behind this one.

As happened quite a few times, the origin of the composition is not a Francken, but Peter Paul Rubens. Copyright and plagiarism were regarded differently then than they are now... These preliminary versions can be found in the Palazzo Ducale in Mantua (RKD), and in the Museum of Brussels (again, RKD)

As a Circle of Francken II "Saint Ursula" from c. 1650, the estimate is probably about right.

And if you like Francken, you can also check out this "Flemish School 17th century" Resurrection of Lazarus, estimated at 400 to 600€, from the same auction. It is again a work from the circle of the Franckens (especially the Lazarus is identical across many interpretations, the position of the Christ changes somewhat from version to version). It is badly damaged, but cheap, and as Franckens go it is one of the better (though not top quality of course)!

UPDATE: the Saint Ursula sold for 2200 Euro (and had its description changed after I wrote my post), and the Lazarus for 400 Euro.