The Binding of Isaac

There is no more dramatic story in the Hebrew Bible than the Binding of Isaac, when God ordered Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son on Mount Moriah. That drama, so sparingly told in the actual text of Scripture, has inspired a host of stunning artistic interpretations throughout history, most of which are focused on the psychology of each character. Dr. Wisse shows how the artwork about this episode offers visual depictions of Abraham's inner struggle, and why different artistic eras and traditions emphasized different parts of the story.