Abraham verdrijft Hagar en Ismaël 1712

Jacob Folkema made this drawing, Abraham expelling Hagar and Ishmael, using pen and brown ink, with a brush and grey wash. The materials are traditional to the period, and the appearance is defined by the crispness of line and subtle tonal range achieved through layering washes. Look closely and you’ll notice how the artist has used the thinness of the pen lines to describe the figures' clothing and faces, in contrast to the broader strokes which describe the landscape and foliage. In the 18th century, drawing was integral to both artistic training and reproductive printmaking. A highly skilled draughtsman such as Folkema would have been prized for his ability to translate scenes into graphic form, ready for wider dissemination via print. In that sense, this drawing is not just a work of art, but a crucial step in a broader process of image production, indicative of the increasing commercialization of art in this period. It reminds us to value not just the final object, but the labor and skills involved in its creation.