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 Veronese³ all depict the climax of the story, when Avraham's sacrifice is interrupted by the angel.  The paintings evoke very different emotions in the viewer as the artists differ greatly in their portrayals of each of the main characters, including Avraham, Yitzchak, the angel and ram.

Contrasting Images

Carravagio Carravagio's painting is the most graphic of the three, filled with both pathos and horror.

Beit Alfa Mosaic

Veronese

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.

³ Paolo Veronese, or, Paolo Caliari (1528–1588), was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period, known for his use of color and brushwork.  The painting can be found in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Austria.