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Maulbertsch depicts the moment when Abraham raises the knife to comply with God's cruel command, the sacrifice of his own son. The bound Isaac helplessly awaits death but the Lord's angel, arriving in all haste, intercedes. According to the Bible the angel addresses Abraham from the heavens but Maulbertsch makes a minor dramatic readjustment of this point and the winged messenger from heaven is physically present to prevent the testing from reaching its murderous conclusion.
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