Hagar and the Angel

Art Historical Context

In the European Paintings department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Francesco Maffei's *Hagar and the Angel (ca. 1657) captivates with its dramatic biblical narrative from the Book of Genesis. The Venetian Baroque artist depicts the outcast servant Hagar, fleeing into the wilderness with her son Ishmael, where an angel appears at a spring to comfort her and promise divine protection Maffei, active in 17th-century Italy and influenced by masters like Veronese, infuses the scene with emotional intensity, highlighting themes of faith, exile, and maternal resilience—resonating in an era of religious turmoil during the Counter-Reformation. Painted in oil on canvas, a medium prized for its luminous depth and ability to render flesh tones and ethereal light, this work measures an impressive 41 3/4 x 54 inches, ideal for immersive altarpiece or private devotional settings. Maffei's loose, expressive brushwork and rich color palette evoke the theatricality of Venetian Baroque, drawing viewers into the angel's compassionate intervention. Bequeathed in 2010 by Anna Mont in memory of Frederick Mont, it stands as a testament to the enduring allure of sacred stories in art, inviting contemplation of human vulnerability and heavenly grace.