NEW YORK – Among the millions of documents released by the Department of Justice under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, one specific email exchange from July 2011 has gone viral. In the message, an assistant asks a contact named “Rich” to FedEx a custom-made, $1,999 oil painting to Epstein’s New Mexico property.
The email describes the work as:
“…the large 9’x9′ canvas that we had rolled out for him to see in the entry way where they are killing babies. He wants to use it on the ranch…”
While art historians note the painting is a well-known biblical scene, the choice of such “infanticide decor” by a man convicted of child sex crimes has been labeled by critics on social media as “sick symbolism” and a “rare unfiltered look at how abusers normalize horror.”
The Art History Behind the Horror
The painting Epstein commissioned is a replica of a 1591 work by Dutch Golden Age painter Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem.
- The Subject: Based on the Gospel of Matthew, it depicts King Herod’s order to execute all male infants in Bethlehem to prevent the rise of a “newborn king.”
- The Original: The authentic masterpiece is part of the Mauritshuis collection in The Hague and is known for its visceral, energetic, and crowded depiction of Roman soldiers and grieving mothers.
- The Replica: Epstein purchased his version from Ocean’s Bridge Group, a company specializing in high-end oil reproductions of historical masterpieces.
Zorro Ranch Under the Lens
The revelation comes at a critical time for Epstein’s New Mexico legacy. On February 16, 2026, the New Mexico House of Representatives unanimously approved a “Truth Commission” to investigate the Zorro Ranch.
- The Probe: Backed by a $2.5 million budget, the bipartisan committee will investigate decades of alleged trafficking and abuse at the 7,500-acre estate.
- Unsearched Territory: The commission follows revelations that federal authorities never officially searched the ranch during the 2019 investigation, focusing instead on Epstein’s properties in New York and the Virgin Islands.
- Current Ownership: The ranch was sold in 2023 to Texas businessman Don Huffines, who has stated he is fully cooperating with the new state-led investigation.