Hagar and Ishmael in the Wilderness 1665

Francesco Cozza painted "Hagar and Ishmael in the Wilderness" with oil on canvas. The canvas presents a dramatic scene dominated by dynamic diagonals and a chiaroscuro effect. The figures are set against a dark, craggy landscape, heightening the emotional intensity. Cozza uses colour to differentiate the earthly and divine: Hagar is in muted red and earth tones while the angel appears in luminous white. This contrast creates a semiotic relationship between the human and the divine. The composition emphasizes the intervention of the divine within the human realm. The angel’s outstretched hand and the desperate gesture of Hagar create a visual and emotional tension. The landscape itself is not merely a backdrop but an active participant, its harshness symbolic of Hagar's and Ishmael’s plight. The artwork reflects a moment of crisis and salvation, framed through a lens of formal contrast and dynamic composition, echoing broader themes of divine intervention and human struggle.