Who painted The Flight into Egypt?

The Flight into Egypt was painted by Adriaen van der Werff in 1710.

Where can I see The Flight into Egypt?

The Flight into Egypt is held by Mauritshuis.

What movement is The Flight into Egypt?

The Flight into Egypt is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of The Flight into Egypt?

Museum-quality prints of The Flight into Egypt are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Flight into Egypt

Adriaen van der Werff , 1710

The Flight into Egypt is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Adriaen van der Werff. It dates from 1710 and is held in the collection of the Mauritshuis.

About this work

Overview

Adriaen van der Werff’s oil painting *The Flight into Egypt* was completed in 1710. Executed in a Rococo idiom, the work portrays the biblical episode of the Holy Family’s escape, and it is part of the Mauritshuis collection in The Hague.

Subject & Meaning

The composition shows a barefoot man and woman traversing a rocky landscape, the woman cradling an infant swaddled in blue. The man, dressed in a brown robe, extends his hand toward the child, while the mother gazes down at the baby, emphasizing protection and divine providence amid a dark, foreboding setting.

Technique & Style

Van der Werff employs a delicate, luminous palette characteristic of Rococo painting, using soft transitions of light to model the figures against a muted, shadowy background of trees and a classical building. The rendering of fabrics—blue over white for the woman and brown for the man—demonstrates his refined handling of texture and drapery.

History & Provenance

After its creation, the canvas entered the collection of the Mauritshuis, where it remains on display. Van der Werff’s career included commissions for the Medici family, and his brother Pieter worked closely with him as an assistant and pupil, though the painting’s early ownership beyond the museum is not recorded.

Context

The subject draws from the New Testament narrative of Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus fleeing to Egypt to escape Herod’s decree. In the early 18th‑century Dutch context, such devotional scenes were popular for private contemplation, and van der Werff’s graceful treatment aligns with contemporary tastes for refined, emotionally restrained religious imagery.