Hagar in the Desert

The frescoes in the Villa Cornaro are Bortolini’s first known works. The works on the first floor focus on episodes from the Old Testament, while those on the upper floor are derived from the New Testament. On the first floor, the small rooms to the left of the main hall are dedicated to the narration of the stories of Moses and King Solomon, while those to the right are reserved for episodes relating to Noah, Abraham, and Jacob. The images are extremely simplified in the presentation of the subject matter.

The image of Hagar in the Desert is evocative in its depiction of the main figure and her little son, Ishmael, saved from death by the intervention of an angel, who points out the well where they can slake their thirst.