Sacrifice of Isaac

Until the end of the 16th century, Procaccini’s work showed mannerist influences, then he changed his style to baroque. The "Sacrifice of Isaac" (Gen 22) may be placed in his late mannerist period, around 1600. The moment of sacrifice is painted with precision; Abraham turning his body, the angel’s expansive gesture to stay his hand and the colour values of the clothes all bespeak the artist’s mannerist training. Abraham raises the knife to strike, his son bows his head in submission. On the right, behind the sacrificial altar, the ram which will ultimately die instead of Isaac has entangled its horns in a hedge. Procaccini’s rendering follows the biblical text fairly closely. He painted several versions of the same story, but none of these has the fine painterly quality of the Salzburg picture.

Habersatter Thomas: Camillo Procaccini, Sacrifice of Isaac, in: Ducke Astrid, Habersatter Thomas (Hrsg./Edi.): von | from 0 auf | to 100. Residenzgalerie Salzburg 1923-2023. Salzburg 2023, S./p. 194-195