The Sacrifice of Isaac
c. 1500
Medium
red chalk with white heightening on laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 24 x 18 cm (9 7/16 x 7 1/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Woodner Collection
Accession Number
2001.3.3
Art Historical Context
In the heart of the Italian Renaissance, the workshop of Luca Signorelli this poignant drawing, *The Sacrifice of Isaac around 1500. Signorelli, a master ofrian painting famed for his dramatic frescoes in Orvieto Cathedral, captured the biblical drama from Genesis: Abraham poised to sacrifice his son Isaac on an altar, moments before divine intervention. Emerging from his studio—likely the work of skilled apprentices under his guidance—this piece reflects the era's intense focus on human emotion, anatomy, and narrative tension. Crafted in red chalk with white heightening on laid paper, the 24...