Summary

The narrator in “After Caravaggio's Sacrifice of Isaac” by Rachel Cusk, a man named Alan, reflects on his relationship with his son Ian, on how much he loves the boy, and on how much he identifies with Ian.

Ian’s birth changed Alan and his relationship with his wife Sally. After the boy’s birth, Sally became depressed and Alan took paternity leave from his work to look after Ian. Looking to be away from his wife, Alan took Ian with him on walks around London and began to frequent art galleries and became fascinated with the paintings in which he found emotional comfort.

When Ian is three years old, Alan enrols in an art history class held by Gerte, a German teacher. He becomes fascinated with the woman and asks her out. At first, Gerte does n...