Who painted The Rest on the Flight into Egypt?

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt was painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder in 1509.

Where can I see The Rest on the Flight into Egypt?

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Rest on the Flight into Egypt?

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt

Lucas Cranach the Elder , 1509

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. It dates from 1509 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Lucas Cranach the Elder’s 1509 woodcut, *The Rest on the Flight into Egypt*, presents a quiet pause in the biblical journey of the Holy Family. Executed on laid paper, the image shows Mary seated with the infant Jesus, Joseph standing nearby, and a donkey to the left, all set within a leafy landscape that recedes to distant buildings and water.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures a moment of repose during the Flight into Egypt, emphasizing the humanity and vulnerability of the family. Symbolic elements—a bird’s nest in a tree, a cherub perched on a branch—suggest divine protection and the promise of salvation, while the tranquil atmosphere underscores the theme of refuge amid hardship.

Technique & Style

Cranach employed the woodcut medium, carving the design into a single block of wood and printing it onto laid paper, a surface characterized by visible ribbing. The line work is fine and precise, allowing delicate rendering of foliage, fabric folds, and facial expressions, hallmarks of Cranach’s early Renaissance style that balances realism with devotional idealism.

History & Provenance

Created while Cranach served as court painter to the Electors of Saxony, the print reflects his early focus on Catholic iconography before his later alignment with Lutheran reform. The work circulated as a devotional image in the early sixteenth century and survives in several museum collections, attesting to its continued appreciation as a representative example of German Renaissance printmaking.