Hagar and Ishmael

Within this small roundel a tense drama plays out against the dying light. A minimal palette of reds, browns and ochres keeps the composition focused on the dramatic moment in this Biblical scene from the Book of Genesis (21:8-21). Hagar and her son, Ishmael, have been banished by Abraham, forced into the desert where they would have died from thirst if an angel, traditionally the Archangel Michael, had not appeared and led them to a well. Here, the shared glance between Hagar and the angel makes a dynamic connection across the small picture plane, their poses mirrored to show Hagar’s despair and the angel’s salvation. Hagar’s rich red mantle gives her a solid presence, emphasising the contrast with the pale body of her child, Ishmael, draped with a cold blue cloth. Laid out along the very edge of the painting, Ishmael appears pale and listless, on the threshold between life and death.  

This dramatic episode, full of jeopardy and anguish, was a favourite subject for many painters, especially Pier Francesco Mola (1612-66). He was inspired to portray the scene several times and this version, painted by a follower of Mola, shows the essence of the story in the artist’s romanticised style. He was known for small scale works that could be used for personal contemplation, and this roundel shape using a landscape setting is typical of his approach. Mola grew up and worked in Rome, in Italy, where he was awarded many important commissions, including frescoes and altarpieces. In 1662, he became principal of the Roman Academy of Saint Luke – the city’s academy for artists – but resigned only a year later due to ill health. Although celebrated in his lifetime, he died destitute.