The Hermitage Completes Restoration of Rembrandt's "The Sacrifice of Abraham"

The Hermitage has completed the restoration of Rembrandt's "The Sacrifice of Abraham". The results of the work, which lasted four years, are presented at a temporary exhibition in the Apollo Hall of the Winter Palace.

Specialists removed layers of yellowed varnish and later overpainting which for decades had distorted the artist's original intention. The painting's former yellowish tone was the result of the ageing of its materials. The authentic Rembrandt turned out to be considerably lighter and cooler: from beneath the accretions emerged the azure of the angel's cloak and details of the mountain landscape.

The restoration also touched on anatomical details. Specialists corrected the errors of eighteenth-century restorers, who had painted in an extra finger for Abraham and shifted the position of Isaac's nipple.

The exhibition in the Apollo Hall, supplemented by archival materials and the results of microscopic analysis, will run until 18 January 2026, after which the canvas will return to the permanent display in the Rembrandt Hall.