Abraham en de drie engelen 1717 - 1763

Pietro Monaco made this print after a design by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo; it depicts Abraham and the three angels. This image exemplifies the kind of religious art that flourished in 18th-century Venice, where Monaco and Tiepolo worked. The visual codes here are derived from the Bible, specifically the story in Genesis where Abraham is visited by three divine figures, often interpreted as an early allusion to the Trinity. This interpretation was upheld by the institutions of the Church. However, the grace and elegance of the figures reflect the values of the Rococo, suggesting a secularizing drift away from strict religious dogma. To truly understand this work, we must research the relationship between religious patronage and artistic production in Venice at this time. What was the status of the church? How did social pressures shape the artist's vision? These are some of the questions that an art historian might ask. Only then can we understand its role in the culture of its time.