Artwork
Life of the Virgin: Flight into Egypt
Life of the Virgin: Flight into Egypt is a print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1504 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Albrecht Dürer executed the print *Life of the Virgin: Flight into Egypt* in 1504. The work is a black‑and‑white engraving that forms part of a larger series illustrating episodes from the Virgin Mary’s life. It is presently conserved in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition portrays a traveling group moving through a dense, forested landscape. A rider on horseback carries an infant, while a figure ahead leads with a staff, suggesting a protective pilgrimage. The setting’s tangled trees, rocks and undergrowth emphasize the arduous nature of the biblical journey.
Technique & Style
Dürer employs strong chiaroscuro, using deep shadows and bright highlights to model forms and generate a dramatic atmosphere. The contrast between light and dark areas accentuates the three‑dimensionality of the figures and the rugged terrain, reflecting the artist’s mastery of engraving and his interest in rendering naturalistic detail.
Context
Created during Dürer’s mature period in Nuremberg, the print demonstrates his engagement with Italian Renaissance ideas, particularly those of Raphael and Leonardo, whose compositional balance and use of light influenced his work. The series as a whole illustrates Dürer’s synthesis of Northern detail with Southern compositional principles.
History & Provenance
After its production, the engraving entered various private collections before being acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on display. Its documented ownership history traces the work’s movement from early 16th‑century German markets to a major American public institution.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Dürer spent his life in Nuremberg, a busy German city where artists traded prints like currency.
![Madonna and Child [obverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--madonna-and-child-obverse--d7b8ebf05d22ebe5-w320.webp)
![Lot and His Daughters [reverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--lot-and-his-daughters-reverse--b4ebf9b282faa17a-w320.webp)
