 |
Rembrandt
van Rijn, Abraham Entertaining the Angels, 1656, etching
and drypoint, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Rosenwald
Collection 1943.3.7160 |
|
|
|
The
Story
The
subject of this print, Abraham Entertaining the Angels, comes from
the Old Testament (Genesis 18:1-15). For years, Abraham
and his wife Sarah
had longed for children. One hot day three travelers appeared at Abraham's
house, and he invited them to rest and eat. The visitors were actually
angels and God himself, who announced that Sarah would have a son
within the year. Rembrandt depicts the dramatic moment in the story when
the miracle is revealed through the gesture of the figure
in the center, representing God.
 
|
|
