The Bible In Paintings: ABRAHAM'S THREE VISITORS

[Hebrews 11:6]

The Bible In Paintings 2
Engravings•Facades•Frescoes•Illuminations•Miniatures•Mosaics•Photographs•Reliefs•Sculptures•Tapestries•Windows

G E N E S I S
CHAPTER 18:1-15

The LORD appeared to Abraham while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”

“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread.”

Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.

“There, in the tent,” he said.

Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and SARAH YOUR WIFE WILL HAVE A SON.”

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.”

Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

New International Version ©1984, Abrdgd, EMPHASES Added

1
JAMES TISSOT
"Abraham and the Three Angels"

2
GUSTAVE DORÉ
"Abraham and the Three Angels"

3
"Abraham Bends Down before Holy Trinity"

4
ÉDOUARD DIDRON
"Abraham"

5
"Tre Angeli da Abramo"

6
GASPARE DIZIANI
"Abraham and Three Angels"

7
BERNARDINO MONTAÑÉS
"Abraham y los Tres Ángeles"

8
GIOVANNI BATTISTA TIEPOLO
"Abraham and the Three Angels"

9
GIOVANNI BATTISTA TIEPOLO
"Abraham and Three Angels"

10
SÉBASTIEN BOURDON
"Abraham and Three Angels"

11
Source

12
BARTOLOMÉ ESTEBAN MURILLO
"Abraham Receiving the Three Angels"

13
SEBASTIANO RICCI
"Abraham and the Three Angels"

14
LORENZO GHIBERTI
"Abraham and the Angels (Gates of Paradise)"

15
JULES-ELIE DELAUNAY
"Abraham Washing the Feet of the Three Angels"

16
FÉLIX-HENRI GIACOMOTTI
"Abraham Washing the Feet of the Angels"

17
Antwerp School
"Abraham und die Drei Engel"

18
"The Hospitality of Abraham"

19
Source
I encourage you to click on "Source" and read the brief comment by the photographer of this window.

20
REMBRANDT
"Abraham and the Three Angels"

21
JACQUES GAMELIN
"Abraham Visité par Trois Anges"

22
LUDOVICO CARRACCI
"Three Angels Visiting Abraham "

23
JUAN ANTONIO DE FRÍAS Y ESCALANTE
"Abraham y los Tres Ángeles"

24
ALONSO DEL ARCO
"Abraham and Three Angels"

25
WILLEM VAN HERP
"Angels Visiting Abraham"

26
AVANZINO NUCCI
"Abraham and the Three Angels"

27
DOMENICO FIASELLA
"Abraham and Three Angels "

28
ARENT DE GELDER
"Abraham and the Angels"

29
GIOVANNI ANDREA DE FERRARI
"Abraham and the Three Angels"

30
GIOVANNI ANTONIO FUMIANI
"Abraham and the Three Angels"

31
GERBRAND VAN DEN EECKHOUT
"Abraham and the Three Angels"

32
FERDINAND BOL
"Abraham Meets the Three Angels"

33
JAN VICTORS
"Abraham Entertaining the Three Angels"

34
ALEXANDER IVANOV
"Three Wanderers Announce to Abraham the Birth of Isaac"

35
JAN PROVOOST
"Abraham, Sarah and the Angel"

36
JAMES TISSOT
"Sarah Hears and Laughs"

37
Source

38
Source

39
Source

40
Source

→ a n d... f i n a l l y ←

41
VERONICA SOSA MCDONALD
"Sarah Laughed"

[Hebrews 11:6]

R E S O U R C E S
Read GENESIS 16 in full
Hear MAX McLEAN reading it
Hear a DRAMATIZATION of it
Read J-F-B's COMMENTARY
BIBLE TIMELINE

Click for 23 prior episodes in THIS series:
The Bible In Paintings 2
Click for 434 links in the FIRST series:
The Bible In Paintings 1


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[Hebrews 11:6]

C A L L I N G
GOD CALLS ABRAM
ABRAM, LOT, MELCHIZIDEK—and JESUS!
"SO SHALL YOUR OFFSPRING BE"
ABRAM, SARAI & HAGAR
ABRAHAM'S THREE VISITORS
SODOM, GOMORRAH and LOT

I N H E R I T I N G
ABRAHAM EXPELS HAGAR AND ISHMAEL
GOD TESTS ABRAHAM
ABRAHAM FINDS ISAAC A WIFE!

[LouieFisk]

Interesting how in classical painting heavenly visitors almost always have feminine features.

[Hebrews 11:6]

It is noteworthy. I don’t understand it.

[evets]

Also, why do they have wings? weird

[SisterK]

The artists needed to meet the requests of the clients.
Clients may or may not know Scripture.

[telescope115]

Back in the 1990’s, there was a tv mini-series about the Bible.
Sir Richard Harris played Abraham, and Barbara Hershey was Sarai.
The scene where The Lord and two angels visit Abraham, to me, was one of the most stunning, and dare I say, awe inspiring scenes in any biblical story I have seen on tv or in movies. It’s one of those things that is installed in my memory, just like some scenes in Jesus of Nazareth, and Christ’s crucifixtion in Barrabas, with the authentic total solar eclipse.
This series of pictures brought it all back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmwDx5_FfW0

Just a short clip…

[telescope115]

Back in the 1990’s, there was a tv mini-series about the Bible.
Sir Richard Harris played Abraham, and Barbara Hershey was Sarai.
The scene where The Lord and two angels visit Abraham, to me, was one of the most stunning, and dare I say, awe inspiring scenes in any biblical story I have seen on tv or in movies. It’s one of those things that is installed in my memory, just like some scenes in Jesus of Nazareth, and Christ’s crucifixtion in Barrabas, with the authentic total solar eclipse.
This series of pictures brought it all back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmwDx5_FfW0

Just a short clip…
Once again, thank you!
Pete

[SisterK]

#8 may not be visually accurate in describing the meeting,
but with power it expresses it with spiritual accuracy

[SisterK]

handled it well
thank you for sharing

[Hebrews 11:6]

I well remember Harris’ Abraham—I enjoyed that tremendously. I’m going to look for the full-length link.

[telescope115]

You’re welcome. Sorry about the double post😮

[Hebrews 11:6]

Yes, we've discussed that dynamic often on these threads. Typically, I omit the most egregious examples.

Yesterday, for example, I was collecting art depicting Pharaoh's daughter and her attendants finding baby Moses in the bulrushes. Several showed the ladies all dolled-up in ball-gowns, when they were supposed to be bathing in the river. I skipped those, because they would have distracted viewers from the story-line.

[null and void]

He who laughs last...

[Hebrews 11:6]

Agreed. Tiepolo’s #8 and #9 both make a dramatic statement, giving us a sense of how overwhelming it must have felt for Abraham, his previous conversations with God notwithstanding.

[Hebrews 11:6]

She whom God blesses has an abundance to laugh over. Indeed, every believer has overflowing joy and peace. I am happy all day, every day.

[null and void]

Thank you for sharing.

[left that other site]

Good Morning, Dan! :-)

[Hebrews 11:6]

All shoveled now, Mary-Lou?

[left that other site]

yup..ready for the next storm.