Abraham Casting out Hagar and Ishmael

Abraham Casting out Hagar and Ishmael is a profound print created by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1637. This highly detailed etching, executed with the addition of drypoint to enhance shadows and texture, illustrates the critical Old Testament narrative from Genesis 21. The scene captures the devastating moment Abraham, the patriarchal figure, reluctantly complies with Sarah’s demand to banish Hagar, his concubine, and their son, Ishmael, into the desert wilderness.

The composition is tightly focused, emphasizing the emotional burden felt by the figures. Abraham, one of the central men, stands framed by the doorway, his face conveying deep sorrow and internal conflict. Hagar attempts to console the boy, Ishmael, who is shown clutching her hand, reflecting the desperate plight of the mother and child. Adding a crucial sense of domesticity and intimacy to the tragic action is the small, watchful dog positioned near the foot of the steps. Rembrandt’s masterful control over his tools is evident in the delicate interplay between light and dark, defining forms through fine, expressive lines that are characteristic of his unique approach to graphic art during the Dutch Golden Age.

This exceptional example of Rembrandt’s graphic output resides within the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As one of the most widely recognized biblical prints of the seventeenth century, the work demonstrates the artist's powerful capacity for rendering human emotion through line work. Today, high-resolution copies of many of his original works, including Abraham Casting out Hagar and Ishmael, are accessible to the public, frequently entering the public domain for study and appreciation by historians and art lovers globally.