Abraham verstoot Hagar en Ismaël 1605 - 1673

This is an engraving of "Abraham verstoot Hagar en Ismaël" (Abraham Rejects Hagar and Ishmael), made by an anonymous artist. In the image, we see Abraham sending Hagar and their son Ishmael away. In the patriarchal context, it reveals the difficult position of women and children born outside the socially accepted norms of marriage and legitimacy. Hagar, as a servant, would have had even less agency. What does it mean to consider this scene through the lens of race and class? Hagar was an Egyptian enslaved person, yet Ishmael was still Abraham’s son. As we confront this scene, we are reminded how power dynamics frequently intersect with gender, race, and social status, especially in the creation and reinforcement of cultural narratives. This image serves as a reminder of the emotional and personal dimensions of cultural events and asks us to consider whose stories get told and how.