Who painted Hagar Leaves the House of Abraham?

Peter Paul Rubens painted Hagar Leaves the House of Abraham in 1615.

What Bible passage does Hagar Leaves the House of Abraham depict?

Hagar Leaves the House of Abraham depicts the biblical scene from Genesis 16:1-16.

Where is Hagar Leaves the House of Abraham located?

Hagar Leaves the House of Abraham is housed at Hermitage, Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya 38, St. Petersburg.

Hagar Leaves the House of Abraham by Peter Paul Rubens

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How does it feel like if two people you love ask you to choose between them? Well this is actually from the Story of Abraham and Hagar. Abraham had a wife named Sarah. Sarah could not give him a child, so she told him to sleep with her maid servant so that she can give Abraham a child for their family. Hagar became pregnant and had Ishmel. A few years later, Sarah became pregnant and had Isaac. Sarah was not happy about Hagar living with Abraham so she chases Hagar and Ishmael out. Abraham prays to god to not let Hagar and Ishmael die, and Hagar and Ishmael get water. The Abraham Casting Out Hagar and Ishmael by Johann Friedrich Overbeck and The Hagar Leaves the House of Abraham by Peter Paul Rubens both exhibit the Biblical story of Hagar leaving Sarah and Abraham. As displayed by the expression of Abraham and the women in both paintings, Overbeck’s painting suggests that Abraham is trying to compromise and comfort both women because of his two kids, whereas Rubens’ painting suggests that Abraham is a little afraid and devastated of his wife Sarah so he steps back. Rubens’ painting displays Abraham as a man who scared of his wife because Hagar does not have her child yet, while in Overbeck’s painting, Abraham is displayed as a guy who loves his children.

Details

Artist: Peter Paul Rubens
Created: c. 1615 - 1617
Medium: oil on panel
Dimension: 76cm × 63cm
Passage: Genesis 16:1-16
Housed at: Hermitage Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya 38, St. Petersburg

Found in: Genesis, Genesis 16, 17th century, Abraham

Genesis 16:1-16

1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

2 Sarai said to Abram, “See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

3 Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.

4 He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

5 Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Yahweh judge between me and you.”

6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.

7 Yahweh’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur.

8 He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”

9 Yahweh’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.”

10 Yahweh’s angel said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, that they will not be counted for multitude.”

11 Yahweh’s angel said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh has heard your affliction.

12 He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposite all of his brothers.”

13 She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?”

14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15 Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.

16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Genesis 16:1-16 · World English Bible

The artist

Peter Paul Rubens

1577 - 1640

Siegen, Germany

Peter Paul Rubens was a Flemish artist. He is considered the most influential artist of Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens's highly charged compositions reference erudite aspects of classical and Christian history. His unique and immensely popular Baroque style emphasized movement, colour, and sensuality, which followed the immediate, dramatic artistic style promoted in the Counter-Reformation. Rubens specialized in making altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and allegorical subjects.