Abraham en de drie engelen 1541 - 1545

This engraving, "Abraham and the Three Angels," was created by Georg Pencz in the 16th century. Pencz was a German Renaissance printmaker, painter and part of a generation deeply influenced by the religious and social upheavals of the Reformation. Here, Pencz depicts a scene from the Book of Genesis, where Abraham welcomes three strangers, unaware that they are angels sent by God. The story is often interpreted as a lesson in hospitality. But consider the power dynamics present, where Abraham, a male figure, is the active host, while his wife, Sarah, remains in the background, relegated to domestic duties. The angels themselves are presented with an almost unsettling androgyny. Their youthful, beardless faces challenge traditional representations of divine messengers, hinting at the complexities of gender and identity in religious art during this period. How do these subtle visual cues invite us to reconsider the traditional narratives of power, gender, and divine intervention?