This September, The Hunterian will celebrate a very important addition to its collection with a new exhibition dedicated to John and Alexander Runciman, two of the most talented 18th century Scottish artists.

In 2010, The Hunterian was allocated Hagar and the Angel or Hagar and Ishmael by John Runciman as part of the Acceptance in Lieu scheme, through which works of art are allocated to eligible museums and galleries in lieu of inheritance tax. The work will be shown with The Hunterian’s holding of works by the Runciman brothers in the new in-focus exhibition called Hagar and the Angel.

Although they trained as decorative painters in Edinburgh, John and Alexander aspired to be History painters and left Scotland to study in Italy in 1767. In Rome they became familiar with the circle of international artists living there, including fellow Scot Gavin Hamilton, James Barry from Ireland, Henry Fussli from Switzerland and Jean-Louis David from France.

Hagar and the Angel is one of a very small group of biblical subjects painted by John Runciman before he left for Italy. It depicts the scene from the Book of Genesis, in which Hagar and her son have been cast out of Abraham's house at the insistence of Sarah. Without water and fearful for her child, Hagar prays to God, who sends an angel to point to a miraculously welling stream.

Very few of John’s paintings survive, so The Hunterian is very fortunate to be able to add it to its collection.

John died of tuberculosis within a year of his arrival in Italy. His brother Alexander returned to Edinburgh in 1771 and become one of Scotland’s leading late 18th century artists.

The exhibition contrasts John’s romantic and spontaneous manner, also notable in Alexander’s work, with contemporary works from The Hunterian collection, demonstrating the range and diversity of mid-to-late 18th century British art.

Hagar and the AngelHagar and the Angel
15 September 2012 - 25 August 2013
Hunterian Art Gallery
Admission free

First published: 23 August 2012

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