Minneapolis Institute of Art

Abraham's Sacrifice

Jonas Silber

Date

1585

Medium

Punch engraving

Department

European Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

In the late 1500s, a few Nuremberg goldsmiths used hand-punches on metal plates to produce prints made of dots. Perhaps to make Abraham's test of faith more accessible to German audiences, Jonas Silber placed the scene in a Teutonic landscape. He also turned Abraham into an ancient Roman, reflecting the fashion among fellow goldsmiths to mix motifs. The ram at left, a substitute offering in place of Isaac, alludes to the Crucifixion, recalling Martin Luther's belief that salvation comes through direct faith in God. Germany, Europe

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