Abraham Casting Out Hagar and Ishmael

Abraham Casting Out Hagar and Ishmael by Rembrandt van Rijn is a profound drawing executed around 1650. This piece, rendered primarily in ink on paper, exemplifies the artist's masterful draftsmanship during the later stages of the Dutch Golden Age in the Netherlands. The biblical narrative depicted is fraught with drama: Sarah demands that Abraham banish his concubine Hagar and their son Ishmael to ensure Isaac's sole inheritance, a moment of profound moral and emotional conflict often explored by Rijn in his religious studies.

Rijn utilized the expressive quality of ink, focusing on stark contrasts and economical line work characteristic of his late career drawings. The composition centers on the figures’ internal anguish. Abraham appears conflicted and burdened, shielded slightly by his hand, while Hagar turns away in visible despair, preparing for her exile. This spontaneous yet powerful style shows why the work is classified specifically as a drawing, prioritizing immediate expression over the refined surfaces of his contemporary paintings.

The work is housed within the prestigious collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it serves as a primary example of 17th-century Dutch graphic arts. Created nearly 400 years ago, this piece remains an important study of human vulnerability and religious storytelling. Due to its historical significance and classification as an aged artwork, high-resolution scans and faithful prints derived from the original are frequently made available through museum and archive collections that operate under public domain guidelines, allowing global access to Rijn's masterful approach to human drama and faith.