The Sacrifice of Isaac
17th century
Medium
Pen and brown ink, brown wash, corrections in white
Dimensions
12 11/16 x 9 1/4 in. (32.3 x 23.5 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Cornelius Vanderbilt, 1880
Accession Number
80.3.31
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the heart of 17th-century Baroque art Johan Carl Loth's * Sacrifice of Isaac* captures pivotal biblical moment from Genesis 22. This gripping drawing depicts Abraham poised to sacrifice his son Isaac with a dagger, only for an angel to intervene, staying his hand. Rendered in pen and brown ink with brown wash and subtle white corrections for highlights, the 12 11/16 x 9 1/4-inch sheet (32.3 x 23.5 cm) showcases's mastery of dynamic linework and tonal modeling, techniques that evoke tension and divine drama. Loth, a German artist active in Venice and Bologna, drew from Venetian masters like...