Sacrificio di Abramo
Lorenzo Lotto·c. 1518
Historical Context
Sacrifice of Abraham by Lotto around 1518, another Bergamo intarsia design, depicts the pivotal Old Testament scene of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac, interpreted as prefiguring God’s sacrifice of Christ. This was one of the most theologically important scenes in the cycle. Tempera on panel suited the precise, layered technique expected by ecclesiastical and private patrons across Europe. itinerant, working across Venice, Bergamo, Marche, and Rome, always outside mainstream Venetian tradition.
Technical Analysis
The dramatic scene is rendered with the narrative clarity required by the intarsia format. Lotto captures the emotional intensity of Abraham’s conflicted obedience through expressive gesture and bold composition.
