SACRIFICIO DI ISACCO
The scene represent the biblical episode in which Abraham is about to kill his son Isaac but he's stopped by an angel of the Lord who tells him to sacrifice a ram instead of the boy. The drama of the event is well depicted in the desperate expression on the face of Isaac. The serious face of Abraham contrasts the gentle face of the angel that with a strong action holds back the hand with knife. Although this picture belongs to the first period of Caravaggio, the ability of the painter of depicting facial expression is excellent. This is one of the few picture of Caravaggio to have a background, in his adult period the contrast between light and dark will be much more accentuated: the light is direct on the figures, while the background transforms into a dark space.
SACRIFICIO DI ISACCO
Author: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
Uffizi Room n°: Sala Caravaggio
Year: 1603
Style: Primo Barocco
Techics: Olio su tela
Size: 104 x 135 cm