Abraham driving out Hagar and Ishmael
Wash
about 1881 (painted)
about 1881 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The subject is taken from the Biblical text in Genesis chapter 21, verse 14:
'And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of
water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her
away: and she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba'.
Hagar, handmaid to Abraham's wife Sarah, had borne him a son. Sarah was jealous, and forced Abraham to send Hagar and their son Ishmael into the wilderness. Strictly orthodox Jewish laws prohibit the making of images. Simeon Solomon came from an emancipated Jewish family which included two other artists, and Simeon's earliest works, done in his late teens, were unusual in depicting either scenes from Jewish ritual, or, as in this example, incidents from the Torah. The latter are remarkable for portraying the Biblical story with strong Jewish characterisation, seen here in the oddly gawky, yet expressive, poses of Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael.
'And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of
water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her
away: and she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba'.
Hagar, handmaid to Abraham's wife Sarah, had borne him a son. Sarah was jealous, and forced Abraham to send Hagar and their son Ishmael into the wilderness. Strictly orthodox Jewish laws prohibit the making of images. Simeon Solomon came from an emancipated Jewish family which included two other artists, and Simeon's earliest works, done in his late teens, were unusual in depicting either scenes from Jewish ritual, or, as in this example, incidents from the Torah. The latter are remarkable for portraying the Biblical story with strong Jewish characterisation, seen here in the oddly gawky, yet expressive, poses of Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Abraham driving out Hagar and Ishmael (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Wash |
| Brief description | Drawing, Abraham driving out Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis XXI, 14) [drawing for illustration to Dalziel's Bible Gallery], by Simeon Solomon, 1881 |
| Physical description | The subject is taken from the Biblical text in Genesis chapter 21, verse 14: 'And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba'. Hagar, handmaid to Abraham's wife Sarah, had borne him a son. Sarah was jealous, and forced Abraham to send Hagar and their son Ishmael into the wilderness. Strictly orthodox Jewish laws prohibit the making of images. Simeon Solomon came from an emancipated Jewish family which included two other artists, and Simeon's earliest works, done in his late teens, were unusual in depicting either scenes from Jewish ritual, or, as in this example, incidents from the Torah. The latter are remarkable for portraying the Biblical story with strong Jewish characterisation, seen here in the oddly gawky, yet expressive, poses of Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by Henry Herbert Harrod |
| Object history | Bequeathed by H.H. Harrod |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Bibliographic reference | Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design, and Department of Paintings, Accessions: 1948, Volume II, Henry Herbert Harrod Bequest, London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1957 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.1399-1948 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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