Altmeisterzeichnung, Opferung Isaaks

Altmeisterzeichnung, Opferung Isaaks
Old Master Drawing, Sacrifice of Isaac
Depiction of the Old Testament scene of the testing of Abraham's obedience by God, it shows the sacrifice or "binding of Isaac" by his father Abraham, averted at the last moment, on this the 1st Book of Genesis [22, 1-13] reports ".... After these events, God put Abraham to the test. He said to him: Abraham! ... Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will name for you. ... When they came to the place God had named for him, Abraham built the altar there, piled up the wood, bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. Then the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said: Abraham, Abraham! ... Do not stretch out your hand against the boy and do him no harm! For now I know that you fear God; you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me. Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a ram had caught its horns in the bushes behind him. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son. ...", briskly drawn pen-and-ink drawing on handmade paper, partially washed with painted squares, probably 18th century, unsigned, stained and with signs of age, unframed, sheet measures approx. 28 x 20 cm.