A Dutch Delft Blue and White Large Rectangular Plaque, 'Abraham Kneeling before the Three Angels', Late 18th/19th Century

Abraham was visited by three angels, who prophesied that his wife would bear a son (Genesis 18: 2). The subject was one of six Old Testament subjects by Jacopo Amigoni (1682-1752) which were used for a series of engravings, which included David and Abigail, The Finding of Moses, Jacob's Ladder, Moses Striking a Shepherd and Rebecca at the Well. A complete set of six engravings is in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, acc. nos. 1984.84.1-1984.84.6. The 'modello' painting for Abraham and the Angels survives in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, acc. no. WA1964.48. According to the Museum's entry, three other extant 'modelli' from the series are in the Graphische Sammlung, Munich.

A Dutch Delft large cartouche-shaped plaque painted using the same image source, titled GENESIS.18.V.2.3. is in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, acc. no. 3076-1853, illustrated in W. Pitcairn Knowles, Dutch Pottery and Porcelain, London 1904, pl. XXV. A Delft doré plaque painted with The Finding of Moses, after Amigoni, was sold at Christie's Amsterdam, May 15, 2002, lot 437.