Hagar and Ishmael (1776, reworked 1803) is a large oil painting by the American-born British artist Benjamin West (1738–1820), depicting the biblical moment when Hagar and her son Ishmael, cast out by Abraham, are saved in the desert by an angel. The work, which measures 76 x 54 1/2 in. (193 x 138.4 cm), belongs to The American Wing of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and is displayed in Gallery 717 ^[3]. It is one of the religious subjects West produced alongside his celebrated history paintings such as The Death of General Wolfe and Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky ^[1].

Artist: Benjamin West, self-taught pioneer

West was born on October 10, 1738, in Springfield, Pennsylvania, the tenth child of an innkeeper, John West, and his wife Sarah Pearson ^[1]. Entirely self-taught, he gained valuable patronage and toured Europe before settling in London ^[1]. He impressed King George III and was largely responsible for the launch of the Royal Academy, of which he became the second president after Sir Joshua Reynolds ^[1]. He was appointed historical painter to the court and Surveyor of the King's Pictures ^[1]. The Getty ULAN identifies him as an American painter and draftsman active in Great Britain ^[2]. His religious commissions included the huge The Preservation of St Paul after a Shipwreck at Malta at the Chapel of St Peter and St Paul at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, and Christ Healing the Sick, presented to the National Gallery ^[1].

Provenance: the Maria DeWitt Jesup Fund acquisition

The painting entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection through the Maria DeWitt Jesup Fund in 1923 ^[3]. The museum records the work as dated 1776 and reworked by the artist in 1803, a revision period that reflects West's continued engagement with the composition over nearly three decades ^[3].

Date	Event
1776	Original execution of the painting [3]
1803	Reworked by West [3]
1923	Acquired by The Met via the Maria DeWitt Jesup Fund [3]

Subject: the biblical narrative of Hagar and Ishmael

West specialized in history painting, a genre that encompassed religious subjects ^[1]. The painting illustrates the Old Testament story in which Hagar, the Egyptian maidservant of Sarah, and her son Ishmael are sent into the wilderness of Beersheba after being cast out by Abraham. The composition captures the moment of divine intervention, a theme consistent with West's religious works such as The Preservation of St Paul after a Shipwreck at Malta and Christ Healing the Sick ^[1].

Technique: oil on canvas in the Neoclassical mode

The work is executed in oil on canvas, the medium standard for West's history paintings ^[3]. As a self-taught artist who toured Europe and settled in London, West absorbed European techniques and applied them to his compositions ^[1]. His appointment as historical painter to the court and his presidency of the Royal Academy placed him at the center of British academic painting in the late eighteenth century ^[1].

Collection: The American Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Hagar and Ishmael is housed in The American Wing of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is on view in Gallery 717 ^[3]. The museum's credit line records the acquisition through the Maria DeWitt Jesup Fund in 1923 ^[3].

Frequently asked questions

When was Hagar and Ishmael painted?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art dates the painting to 1776, with a reworking by West in 1803 ^[3].

Where is Hagar and Ishmael located?

The painting is in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, in The American Wing, Gallery 717 ^[3].

Who was Benjamin West?

Benjamin West (1738–1820) was an American-born British painter who specialized in history painting, became the second president of the Royal Academy, and was appointed historical painter to the court of King George III ^[1][2].