The Binding of Isaac in Art of Late Antiquity
Judeo-Christian Themes of Sacrifice, Salvation and Liturgy
$65.00
In stock
About the Book
From the third through the sixth centuries, the binding of Isaac saw a flourish of representation in Christian, Byzantine and Jewish art. These images engaged the viewer in a religious experience that highlighted sacrifice, salvation and liturgy, and reflected an increased visual richness of sacrificial and liturgical concepts. In contrast to earlier scholarship on the sacrifice of Isaac that offered general descriptions of the period and digressions on isolated images, this book presents the interpretation of specific works depicting the binding of Isaac by his father Abraham across time, examining the iconography, style, social context and purpose of the sacrifice in the artworks.
About the Author(s)
Bibliographic Details
Bonnie L. Kutbay
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 196
Bibliographic Info: 31 photos, glossary, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2025
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9060-5
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5362-4
Imprint: McFarland
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vi
Abbreviations ix
Preface 1
Introduction 5
One. The Patriarch Abram (Abraham) and Isaac in Judaism and Christianity 15
The Trials of Abram 15
God’s Promise to Abram 16
The Covenant Between God and Abraham 18
Isaac in Judaism and Christianity 19
Concluding Observations on Abraham and Isaac 24
Two. Jewish Origins of the Binding of Isaac in Art: Dura Europos 25
The Torah Shrine at Dura Europos 26
Symbols of Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot on the Torah Shrine 29
The Image of Isaac Entering the Tent on the Torah Shrine 30
Jewish Motifs in the Iconography of the Binding of Isaac 35
Concluding Observations on the Akedah at Dura Europos 42
Three. Ritual Human Sacrifice in the Ancient Greek World and Its Possible Influence on the Iconography of the Sacrifice of Isaac in Art 44
Iphigenia 44
Human Sacrifice in the Ancient World 47
Polyxena 49
Concluding Observations on Iphigenia and Isaac 51
Between pages 54 and 55 are 8 color plates with 14 photographs
Four. The Sacrifices of Jesus and Isaac in Eucharistic Liturgy of the Early Church 55
Literary Sources for the Eucharist as a Sacrifice 56
Early Christian Worship 60
Concluding Observations on Jesus and Isaac in Eucharistic Liturgy 63
Five. The Third and Fourth Centuries: The Sacrifice of Isaac from the Catacombs and Sarcophagi of Rome 64
The Sacrifice of Isaac in Catacomb Frescoes 64
The Sacrifice of Isaac on Sarcophagi 75
Between pages 84 and 85 are 8 color plates with 17 photographs
Six. The Fifth Century: The Sacrifice of Isaac on the Great Berlin Pyxis and in the Mosaics of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome 85
The Great Berlin Pyxis 85
The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore 93
Seven. The Sixth Century: Isaac in the Mosaics of San Vitale and Sant’Apollinare in Classe in Ravenna, Italy, and the Beth Alpha Synagogue in Israel 103
San Vitale, Ravenna 103
Sant’Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna 114
The Synagogue at Beth Alpha, Israel 119
Conclusion 130
The Third Century 131
The Fourth Century 133
The Fifth Century 134
The Sixth Century 135
Concluding Observations 136
Glossary 139
Chapter Notes 141
Bibliography 165
Index 173