Abraham Entertaining the Angels
Medium
etching and drypoint on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 15.9 x 13.2 cm (6 1/4 x 5 3/16 in.) sheet: 16.2 x 13.5 cm (6 3/8 x 5 5/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.7160
Art Historical Context
In the intimate etching *Abraham Entertaining the Angels* (1656), Rembrandt van Rijn captures a pivotal biblical moment from Genesis 18, where the patriarch Abraham welcomes three heavenly visitors—angels in disguise—who foretell the birth of his son Isaac. Created late in Rembrandt's career, this small-scale print (plate measures just 15.9 x 13.2 cm) exemplifies the Dutch master's profound ability to infuse spiritual narratives with human warmth and drama, characteristic of his Baroque style. The scene brims with tender hospitality: Abraham gestures welcomingly, while Sarah peeks curiously fr...
About the Artist
Rembrandt van Rijn · 1606–1669
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669) stands as one of the greatest visual artists in the history of Western art and the most important Dutch painter of the 17th century. Born in Leiden to a prosperous miller's family, Rembrandt transformed painting through his revolutionary use of light and shadow, his psychological depth in portraiture, and his elevation of etching to a fine art. His approx...