A couple of weeks back, I bought a folder of what was supposed to be engravings. I paid just over the low estimate for the folder. It was a bargain. When I got it home and looked at what it contained, I found it had not only engravings but some drawings and watercolours. The topic for today is one of those drawings.

The drawing, as seen above, is a portrayal of the biblical story where Abraham is about to sacrifice his son, Isaac, when he is suddenly stopped by an angel. The drawing is superbly rendered. It is done on laid paper, which has a partial watermark – so far unidentified. The paper has aged and bears some age spots but not enough to truly detract from the image.

As I stated, the drawing is superbly done. It is 4.5″ × 6″ (11cm x 15cm), so it is quite small. Even so, you can see the sublime skill in the faces seen above. The ethereal beauty of the angels countenance, the awe and surprise of Abraham, and the surrender and confusion of Isaac are unquestionably exactly what the artist wished to create. A magnificent work by a master of his art. After more research, I have discovered that this drawing is possibly by #GiovanniBattistaPiazzetta (1682-1754)