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The Sacrifice of Isaac

1750s
(Italian, 1712–1793)
Measurements
Framed: 71 x 90.5 x 5.5 cm (27 15/16 x 35 5/8 x 2 3/16 in.); Unframed: 56.5 x 75.5 cm (22 1/4 x 29 3/4 in.)
Public Domain
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Description

This series of paintings primarily tells the Old Testament story of Abraham and Isaac, and each of the canvases depicts the interaction of humans and angels. In three works, angels appear to Abraham, and in one particularly dramatic canvas, an angel intercepts Abraham before he sacrifices his own son. Like another work in this series, Tobias and the Angels, the Sacrifice of Isaac is a narrative about fathers and sons as well as obedience inspired by faith.
A horizontally oriented oil painting features loose brushwork and a palette of muted blues and earthy reds. Three figures with light skin tones form the focus: Abraham, an older man with a gray beard, brandishes a knife while looking up at a winged woman descending from clouds. Beside him, Isaac lies nude on a pile of wood. The woman reaches toward Abraham's shoulder. At left, a pale blue sky reveals a distant landscape.

The Sacrifice of Isaac

1750s

Francesco Guardi

(Italian, 1712–1793)
Italy, 18th century

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