Who painted Elijah's Sacrifice?

Elijah's Sacrifice was painted by Bartholomeus Breenbergh in 1645.

Where can I see Elijah's Sacrifice?

Elijah's Sacrifice is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is Elijah's Sacrifice?

Elijah's Sacrifice is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

Elijah's Sacrifice

Bartholomeus Breenbergh , 1645

Elijah's Sacrifice is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Bartholomeus Breenbergh. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting portrays the biblical moment of Elijah preparing to sacrifice his son, drawing on Old Testament narrative to illustrate divine obedience and faith.

The painting portrays the biblical moment of Elijah preparing to sacrifice his son, drawing on Old Testament narrative to illustrate divine obedience and faith. This subject aligns with the work's religious genre and iconography, emphasizing themes of sacrifice and covenant in Christian art.

The composition reflects Baroque sensibilities through its dramatic lighting and emotional intensity, characteristic of 17th-century religious painting. The depiction of Elijah underscores the narrative of prophetic sacrifice within the broader tradition of biblical storytelling in European art.

Technique & Style

Bartholomeus Breenbergh's Elijah's Sacrifice is an 1645 oil painting on canvas, measuring 850 cm in height by 700 cm in width. The work depicts the biblical moment of Elijah's sacrifice and reflects a religious artistic genre characteristic of the mid-17th century. It is currently held by the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains part of their collection.

History & Provenance

Elijah's Sacrifice was created by Bartholomeus Breenbergh in 1645. The painting, a religious work depicting the prophet Elijah, is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains located. The sources do not provide information on a commissioning party, intermediate owners, or the chain of custody prior to the work's acquisition by the museum.

Overview

Bartholomeus Breenbergh’s 1645 canvas entitled Elijah’s Sacrifice presents a turbulent biblical episode. Central to the composition is a fierce blaze consuming a wooden structure, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers whose gestures range from supplication to alarm. Dark, swirling clouds dominate the sky, while the ground is strewn with debris, heightening the sense of disorder.

Artist & collection

Artist

Bartholomeus Breenbergh

Bartholomeus Breenbergh (before 13 November 1598 – after 3 October 1657) was a Dutch Golden Age painter of Italian and Italianate landscapes, in Rome (1619-1630) and Amsterdam (1630-1657).