Jan Mostaert was a painter of considerable renown, primarily known for his religious compositions and portraits. His work is characterised by a minute rendering of the details in a manner that can be related to manuscript painting. The backgrounds of his works are normally landscapes and reveal the evident influence of Joachim Patinir. This painting is a fine example of his narrative skills and includes various episodes from the same story, namely the Expulsion of Hagar as related in the Old Testament. The principal image is that of Abraham at the moment of sending away Hagar and their son Ishmael. Behind this scene are various episodes in which the story continues. On the left we see Abraham’s wife Sarah, looking from her front door at the scene of the expulsion, which she instigated. On the right are various moments in Hagar’s journey including the appearance of the angel that gave them water to drink and the episode of the sacrifice of Isaac, Abraham and Sarah’s son, taking place on a hilltop in the distance. The subject of the Expulsion of Hagar was extremely popular in the Low Countries in the 16th and 17th centuries.

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16th Century16th Century - Netherlandish paintingPaintingOilpanel
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