11Story

19 January 2010

An angel of God

 

An angel of God interceding with Abraham to halt the sacrifice of Isaac. Unknown artist(s). Bulgaria, 1614 Photograph. Original mural painting in the church of Saints Theodore Tyron and Theodore Stratilat, Dobarsko village, Bulgaria. Dimensions uncertain © Florentina Badalanova Geller. Reproduced by kind permission of the photographer

In a narrative tradition shared by Jews, Muslims and Christians, and a recurrent theme in popular iconography, studio art and philosophical debate, Abraham prepares to sacrifice his son to God on the side of a mountain.   In the Judeo-Christian tradition the chosen son is Isaac, and, as in this picture, he is bound for slaughter; for Muslims, the chosen son, Ishmael, remains unbound. But Abraham appears to follow God’s own instructions, which test the limits of his faith. In some versions of the story, Abraham himself finds a substitute but in others, God is moved by his evident piety and intervenes before the sacrifice can be carried out. Either way, a ram (the white quadruped upper right in the picture) becomes the expedient alternative sanctioned for this ritual in the future.

 
 

Back

 

Share