Akeidat Yitzchak in Art/0/en

Akeidat Yitzchak in Art

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Overview

It is not surprising that Akeidat Yitzchak, a story replete with religious significance, emotional turmoil, and dramatic appeal is a favorite subject among artists.  The three renderings shown here, the painting by Caravaggio,¹ the mosaic from the Beit Alfa Synagogue² and the work by of Paolo Veronese all depict the climax of the story, when Avraham's sacrifice is interrupted by the angel.  They differ greatly in their portrayals of both the setting of the event and all its main characters (Avraham, Yitzchak, the angel and ram).

Relationship to the Biblical Text

The artists' choices reflect certain ambiguities in the Biblical text and different possible interpretive stances:

¹ Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571 – 1610) was an Italian artist, known for his dramatic use of lighting (chiaroscuro).  He had a major influence on other Baroque painters.  The painting is currently housed in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

² Beit Alfa is a sixth-century synagogue located near Beit She'an in Israel. Its mosaic of the akeidah is the earliest representation of the subject found in Israel. One of the Greek inscriptions in the synagogue names Marianos and his son Chanina as the artists.  The mosaic contains Jewish, pagan, and Christian influences.