Giovanni Battista Pittoni (1687-1767), Giovanni Battista Pittoni (1687-1767) - attributed The Sacrifice of Isaac / Abraham Sacrificing His Son Isaac

Oil on canvas, 54 × 37 cm

Pittoni is one of the main masters of Venetian history painting of the 18th century. His style combines pathos with graceful elegance and sophisticated colors.

Abraham has just raised the knife to sacrifice his own son at God's command when the angel comes from above and grabs his arm and points to heaven: God doesn't want the human sacrifice, he just wanted to test the patriarch's faith . Abraham looks up in amazement and fright at the angel, who is floating on a cloud, leaning with his arm on Abraham's raised right arm and looking down at the patriarch. Isaac sits blindfolded, his hands tied behind his back, on the pyre heaped for the burnt offering. In the front right there is a cauldron with fire to fuel the burnt offering. On the left appears the ram that is to be sacrificed in place of Isaac. Abraham's blue robe and yellow cloak and the angel's pink drapery are the main accents. The triad of primary colors became popular in the High Baroque period. The suggested background landscape shows the stylistic features of the Venetian Rococo. The pyramidal, lively, moving composition is also typical of Venetian history painting and the 18th century.
A related composition by Pittoni with the same subject is in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Pittonie has addressed the topic several times. Oil on canvas, 54 × 37 cm