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Thumbnail-size images of copyrighted artworks are displayed under fair use, in accordance with guidelines recommended by the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for the Visual Arts, published by the College Art Association in February 2015.
The Prophet Ibrahim
Egyptian
20th Century
Medium/Technique
Chromolithograph
Dimensions
Height x width: 41.4 × 57.2 cm (16 5/16 × 22 1/2 in.)
Credit Line
Edwin E. Jack Fund
Accession Number2023.57
With the rise of print media in Egypt in the 19th century came printing, in addition to books, posters. They often portrayed religious, political or literary scenes. This poster, printed in the early 20th century, centers the Prophet Ibrahim with his son Ismail at the moment he is about to sacrifice him, as ordered by Allah. To the left of the Prophet Ibrahim is an angel bringing a lamb in its place. Calligraphic panels with verses from the Qur'an border the scene: These are from Surat Ass-Saffat, from the beginning of ayah 102 to the midpoint of ayah 105. They narrate the scene. They read, in Arabic: قَالَ يَـٰبُنَىَّ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ فِى ٱلْمَنَامِ أَنِّىٓ أَذْبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ . فَلَمَّآ أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُۥ لِلْجَبِينِ .وَنَـٰدَيْنَـٰهُ أَن يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ .قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ ٱلرُّءْيَآ ۚ .
The translation reads:
The translation reads:
DescriptionA person wielding a knife next to a blind-folded child is approached by an angel bearing a sheep in a hilly, slightly wooded environment. Calligraphic border with verses from the Qur'an.
ProvenanceAbout 1930s/1940s, probably acquired by the library of the Philosophical Research Society, Los Angeles; 1990s, sold by the library of the Philosophical Research Society to Sam Fogg, Ltd., London; 2022, consigned by Sam Fogg to N.G. McBurney (bookseller), London; 2023, sold by N. G. McBurney to the MFA. (Accession Date: February 15, 2023)