Lot Essay
The expulsion of Abraham's mistress, Hagar, and his illegitimate son, Ishmael, from his home is one of the most commonly embroidered subjects of the seventeenth century. The design is taken from Gerard de Jode's Thesaurus Sacrarum Historiarum Veteris Testamenti, Antwerp, published in 1585 after a painting by Martin de Vos, The Expulsion of Hagar of c.1562-3. Thirteen embroideries have been identified using the same print source including one from The Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight (illustrated in X.Brooke, Catalogue of Embroideries, 1992, pp.42-43 and pl.4, which also reproduces the print by de Jode); one in the Burrell Collection at the Glascow Museum (L.Arthur, Embroidery 1600-1700 at the Burrell Collection, 1995, pl.55-56); another from Judge Irwin Untermyer's collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (illustrated in Y.Hackenbroch, English and Other Needlework, Tapestries and Textiles in the Irwin Untermyer Collection, 1960, pl.32, fig.51) and others sold from a private collection, Christie's South Kensington, 23 June 1987, lots 102, 132,and 147.