Plaque with the story of Hagar abd Ishmael
The theme of this unusually large plaque was very popular in the 17th century. Plaques with biblical themes are common in the third quarter of the 17th century. A few potteries made similar plaques during the 18th century on specific requests. Below the scene are inscribed some lines from a rhyming Bible referring to Genesis 21: 9-12:
'0 HAGAR . KLEYN . VAN. MOET, HOE.STAAT.GE.DUS.BEDRUKT. OMDAT . GY . MET. U . SOON,
VAN. SARA . WERT . VERDRUKT .
EN. DOLEN . MOET . DOOR. DAL . EN,
WOESTE . WILDERNISSE,
STELT . U . GERUST . IN . GOD.
TZYN . GODS. GEHEIMENISSE'
Hagar and Ishmael are depicted hand in hand. Abraham has just provided them with bread and water before sending them into the desert. When the water ran out, Hagar laid her son under a bush to die and then sat some way off, weeping, whereupon an angel appeared and disclosed that there was a well nearby, so that the two of them were saved. Both scenes, the banishment and the appearance of the angel, are depicted here.
The interpretation of the biblical text in verse reads as follows in translation: 'Oh Hagar, with so little courage, how sadly you stand there, because you and your son are thus oppressed by Sara and forced to wander through the desolate wilderness. Trust in God, however, and his Mystery'. |
