“Is Anything Too Hard For The Lord”
{ Sarah }
Painted by Elspeth Young
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I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son...
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure...
And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh...
Is anything too hard for the Lord?
The story behind Is Anything Too Hard For The Lord
In Genesis 21:7 we see Sarah rejoicing (the Hebrew root tzachak used here means both to "laugh" or to "rejoice"). As she holds her newborn infant, she enjoys the fulfillment of the Lord's promise to Abraham. She understands that "all that hear will laugh (or rejoice) with [her]" (Genesis 21:6). This statement by Sarah invites all of us to rejoice in the Lord's willingness and ability to fulfill the covenants He makes with us. Therefore, this painting seeks to be a visual reminder of what Sarah discovered—that nothing is "too hard" for the Lord to fulfill.
Compositionally, Sarah's hands are the central element of the painting. Every other element within the composition radiates from her strong, beautiful hands. Such a composition represents the strength, beauty, and loving care of Motherhood.
Symbolism in Is Anything Too Hard For The Lord
The gold embroidery on Sarah's tunic is based on motifs presented in a facsimile from The Book of Abraham, a papyrus containing drawings by the hand of Abraham, discovered in Egyptian catacombs during the nineteenth century. The costly materials used in her clothing also denote Abraham's abundant wealth, indicated by Genesis 13:2.
The baby, Isaac, is wrapped in a soft-blue covering. A blue like this was frequently employed in Egyptian tomb paintings (Walch, 16). This Egyptian "Nile blue" blanket represents Abraham and Sarah's time and experiences in Egypt.
Sarah also wears a gold wedding band, typical of early Hebrew wedding rings (Fielding, 27). The wedding band is known to have been used in ancient Egypt and was worn on the fourth finger of the left hand, just as it is today.
Copyright and terms of use
© By Elspeth Young, All Rights Reserved. You may not print, copy, or reproduce this artwork or make derivative works from it without the prior written consent of the copyright holder. For permissions, please review our FAQ page.From the Newsroom
By Al R. Young
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We have framed our own artworks for more than 30 years, and during that time we have provided a variety of framing services to patrons upon request. For many reasons—including constant changes in the availability of moulding styles—we cannot offer off-the-shelf framing options or response times typically associated with such a service. Of necessity, all of our framing projects are aproached, priced, and billed as constuling projects... Read more »
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By Elspeth C. Young
the story in this painting
the creation of this paintingOriginal artworks produced by the Artists of Al Young Studios are part of themed collections because the Studios is organized after the pattern of the Renaissance workshops of the old masters. The Artists take the long view of their work as being a lifetime journey toward mastery of artistic expression through selected techniques, reaching as far back as the 16th century. Artists work as peers in an intensely creative community in which each artist pursues his or her own work as part of the group's philosophy... Read more »
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By Al R. Young The Divinity of Women by Heather Moore and Kent Brown, published by Covenant Communications, featured five paintings by Elspeth Young. The artworks are part of Al Young Studios' Women of the Bible Fine Art Collection as well as its Heroes of the Book of Mormon Fine Art Collection.... Read more »
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By Al R. Young This blank-book journal sells for $32 (plus shipping) direct from Al Young Studios. Printed in full color on heavy paper, the book is bound with black plastic spiral to rest flat when open.
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Commentaries (in the calendar) accompanying each painting provide a reference passage from the Bible, a summary of the character featured in the painting, and an artist's commentary concerning the painting itself. The calendar also features a biographical sketch about the artist and a list of research sources that figured in the artist's work... Read more »
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By Al R. Young Women of the Old Testament by Camille Fronk Olson is the companion volume to Women of the New Testament, published by Deseret Book in 2014.
The Old Testament volume features fifty six illustrations from the Artists of Al Young Studios, listed here under the Studios' fine art collections and portfolios to which they belong.
From the Women of the Bible Fine Art CollectionFull-color details (cropped images) from the following 17 paintings appeared in the book (in the order in which they appear here)... Read more »
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By Al R. Young In the September 2006 issue of the Ensign Magazine, published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a section entitled "She Shall Be Called Woman: Women of the Old Testament," featured five of Elspeth Young's original oil paintings from the Women of the Bible Fine Art Collection:... Read more »
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By Al R. Young
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The original image is available for sale, please contact us for details... Read more »
Tags: Is Anything Too Hard For The Lord, 2006, People and Stories of the Bible
By Al R. Young Is Anything Too Hard For The Lord is the newest oil painting to be added to the line of original artworks from Al Young Studios.
Click here to see a larger image of the new painting, read the artist's commentary, and look at the selection of prints--if any are available.... Read more »
Tags: Is Anything Too Hard For The Lord, 2006, Elspeth C. Young, Legacy, News, Oil paintings and prints, Women of the Bible Art Collection