without background or context, with nothing to distract from the powerful psychological drama as God's promise is delivered. Uffizi version The second Sacrifice of Isaac is housed in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. According to the early biographer Giovanni Bellori, Caravaggio painted a version of this subject for Cardinal Maffeo Barberini, the future Pope Urban VIII, and a series of payments totalling one hundred scudi were made to the artist by Barberini between May 1603 and January 1604. Caravaggio had previously painted a Portrait of Maffeo Barberini, which presumably pleased the cardinal enough for him to commission this second painting. Isaac has been identified as Cecco Boneri, who appeared as Caravaggio's model in several other pictures. Recent X-ray analysis showed that Caravaggio used Cecco also for the angel, and later modified the profile and the hair to hide the resemblance. Symbolism and Iconography The symbol of the ram has many facets of meaning. In the Biblical era, the ram's horn was a symbol of power. Referred to as a shofar, the ram's horn was used in battle to alert warriors. In Christianity, the ram itself represents Jesus Christ or Yeshua as the lamb of God, or sometimes referred to as "the ultimate sacrifice", foreshadowing Jesus' crucifixion. It is strongly debated that the word "el", which is the Hebrew word for God, derived from the Hebrew word for ram, "ayil"(אַיִל). See also List of paintings by Caravaggio References External links 1598 paintings 1603 paintings Paintings by Caravaggio Paintings in the collection of the Uffizi Caravaggio Sheep in art es:El sacrificio de Isaac it:Sacrificio di Isacco