Isaks ofring 1907

Oluf Hartmann made this tiny etching of the Sacrifice of Isaac at the beginning of the twentieth century. It’s all about the marks, which are rough and hurried, but so full of feeling. You can almost feel the artist’s hand trembling as he scratched into the plate. The texture is palpable. It feels like you could reach out and touch the grainy surface of the metal. The light is stark, creating deep shadows that emphasize the drama of the scene. Look at the way Hartmann uses line to define the figures. Each stroke is so deliberate, so expressive. In the father's face, you can see a mix of grief, and maybe even madness. The whole thing is unsettling. Hartmann reminds me of Edvard Munch, another Scandinavian artist who wasn't afraid to explore the darker sides of human experience. This is a powerful work that raises difficult questions about faith, sacrifice, and the human condition.