“He is killing the gods”: written sources a visual representations of Abraham's iconoclasm

Abstract

This article investigates the written sources and visual representations of Abraham's iconoclasm, a theme primarily explored by Judaism and Islam. The sparse iconography across centuries and territories reflects the cultural context of each tradition but converges in emphasizing the supremacy of monotheism over idolatry and the didactic value of the narrative for different communities. The study, therefore, highlights the pedagogical significance attributed to this passage over time.