Abraham Casting out Hagar and Ishmael

Abraham Casting out Hagar and Ishmael is a psychologically intense print created by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1637, utilizing the rich textures achievable through etching and drypoint. This pivotal scene, drawn from Genesis 21, captures the moment Abraham reluctantly sends Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness at the insistence of his wife, Sarah. Rijn, one of the foremost artists working in the Netherlands during the Dutch Golden Age, translates this painful biblical narrative into a focused study of human emotion.

The composition centers on the figures’ internal conflict and despair. Abraham, visible in the doorway, clutches his hands in a gesture of conflicted misery, while Hagar, burdened by a water skin and a basket, holds her son protectively. The drypoint technique, characterized by burr left on the plate, provides deep, velvety black lines and subtle gradations of shadow, intensifying the dramatic lighting and emphasizing the gravity of the banishment. This mastery of line and tone, typical of Rijn's graphic output, focuses the viewer’s sympathy squarely on the exiled mother and son.

As a significant example of 17th-century graphic arts, this work exemplifies the period’s fascination with religious narratives. The enduring popularity and high quality of Rijn's prints have ensured their preservation, and many impressions of this particular etching are accessible today, often referenced within public domain collections. This impression of Abraham Casting out Hagar and Ishmael is classified as a print and resides within the distinguished collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.