The Sacrifice of Isaac in Byzantine Art – Christological Perspectives of Interpretation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/ROOTS.2025.2.3Keywords:
Isaac-Jesus Christ, Typology, Art, Church Fathers, ChCristological interpretationAbstract
This study analyses the typological dimension of the sacrifice of Isaac, son of Abraham, which the Church Fathers consider as a prefiguration of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The starting point of the research is the analysis of the Christological interpretations made by some of the most representative Fathers of Christian Antiquity from the 2nd to the 4th centuries, such as Meliton of Sardis, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. John Chrysostom, and others. They identified in the sacrifice of Isaac a typological perspective anticipating the Savior's sacrifice on the cross. The study also analyses how these theological perspectives influenced Byzantine art between the 6th and 16th centuries. It focuses on artistic representations from Ravenna, Palermo, and Sicily, as well as relevant frescoes from the Macedonian and Cretan schools. The main objective of this research is to highlight the Christological elements and the interdependence between patristic texts and Byzantine iconography, thus emphasising the artists' ability to offer unique interpretations, while aligning them with the Church Tradition.
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