Abraham's Parting from the Family of Lot

By Jan Victors, ca. 1655–65
JPG • 3791 × 3376 PX • 3.3 MB
Curatorial Notes

Painted between 1655 and 1665, this work depicts the separation of Abraham and his nephew Lot, as narrated in the Book of Genesis (Gn 13:5–12). Since both men possessed large flocks, disputes arose between their shepherds. To prevent further conflict, Abraham proposed that they go their separate ways, generously allowing Lot to choose first where he wished to settle. Lot selected the fertile lands of the Jordan Plain, near Sodom, while Abraham remained in Canaan. Jan Victors transforms this biblical episode into a family scene, portraying Abraham as an elderly patriarch gesturing toward Lot, who sits at a table with his family. In the background, the flocks and their shepherds recall the reason for their separation. An interesting historical detail is that, for more than a century, the painting was identified as a depiction of Jacob and Laban, two other Old Testament figures. It was not until the 1980s that scholars began associating it with the separation of Abraham and Lot.

Artwork Identification

Title Abraham's Parting from the Family of Lot
Title (PT) A Separação de Abraão da Família de Ló
Title (ES) La separación de Abraham de la familia de Lot
Artist Jan Victors
Artist Bio Jan Victors (1619–after 1676) was a Dutch Baroque painter born in Amsterdam. He probably studied under Rembrandt, whose influence is evident in his expressive use of light and portrayal of human emotions. He became known for his biblical paintings, particularly rarely depicted episodes from the Old Testament, as well as portraits and scenes of everyday life. In 1676, he sailed to the Dutch East Indies as a lay religious counselor in the service of the Dutch East India Company, where he died at an unknown date, probably before 1683.
Date ca. 1655–65
Work Type Painting

Location & Collection

License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
Ars Sancta