Hagar comforted by the angel - Jean Baptiste Michel

A refined eighteenth-century engraving by Jean Baptiste Michel, depicting the biblical encounter between Hagar and an angel, after Pietro da Cortona.

This fine art print is an etching and engraving by Jean Baptiste Michel, after a painting by the Italian Baroque master Pietro da Cortona. The composition depicts the biblical narrative of Hagar, the handmaid of Sarah, who finds herself in the wilderness with her son Ishmael. An angel appears to offer solace and divine guidance.

Michel, a French engraver who spent much of his career in London, demonstrates technical precision in his handling of the burin. The work captures the dramatic interplay of light and shadow characteristic of the original Baroque source material, translated into the refined tonal language of eighteenth-century printmaking. The figures are arranged in a balanced, theatrical manner, with the angel gesturing towards the horizon, while Hagar and Ishmael respond with expressions of surprise and relief. The surrounding foliage and rocky terrain provide a sense of depth, grounding the supernatural encounter within a tangible, natural setting.

At the base of the print, the inclusion of a heraldic crest adds a formal quality, typical of the high-quality reproductions produced for collectors during the period. The print reflects the eighteenth-century interest in disseminating the works of Old Masters through reproductive engraving, allowing a wider audience to engage with complex religious iconography. The attention to texture, from the soft drapery of the garments to the rugged bark of the trees, reveals the skill required to translate oil painting into monochrome line work. This piece is a representative example of the collaborative nature of historical print culture, where the engraver acted as a conduit for the vision of the original painter, ensuring the survival of the composition's narrative and aesthetic qualities for future study.