"Abraham Sacrifices His Son Isaac"

At the scene, we see Abraham holding a knife as Isaac lies strapped to the ground, looking out to the sky for divine help.

The work conveys an intense sense of tension and anguish, standing out by the expression of emotions on the faces of the characters. The use of dark colors and dramatic lighting help to create a gloomy and overwhelming atmosphere in the paint.

This masterpiece of Losenko is considered one of the most striking performances of this biblical passage, and has been the subject of admiration and controversy over the years because of its powerful visual representation.

Anton Pavlovich Losenko (10 August 1737 –  23 November] 1773) was a Russian neoclassical painter and academician who specialized in historical subjects and portraits. He was one of the founders of the Imperial Russian historical movement in painting.