Although the style of the main scene might suggest a somewhat earlier period than the date of 1786 on the base, the ensemble does appear to form a coherent whole in terms of its iconography. The Sacrifice of Isaac was commonly interpreted as an Old Testament prefiguration of God the Father's willingness to sacrifice His Son to redeem mankind, while the pelican, which according to medieval bestiaries shed its own blood to feed its children, was similarly designated as a type of Christ.