Sacrifice of Abraham
1551
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1551
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This etching shows a dramatic landscape with a group of people near the bottom, where one man is tying another to an altar. Behind them, a village sits on a flat plain, with a church spire and winding river. Jagged mountains rise in the distance, filled with tiny trees and rocky details. The artist packed a lot into the scene—tiny figures, animals, and buildings all fit together. The text at the bottom hints at a biblical story about sacrifice. Check out more about the technique: etching to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
