Artwork
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Rest on the Flight into Egypt is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Gerard David. It dates from 1501 and is held in the collection of the National Museum of Ancient Art. Executed between roughly 1500 and 1520, this oil painting on wooden panel depicts a tranquil episode from the biblical Flight into Egypt.
About this work
Overview
Executed between roughly 1500 and 1520, this oil painting on wooden panel depicts a tranquil episode from the biblical Flight into Egypt. A kneeling woman in a blue garment cradles an infant, while a donkey, basket, and jug hint at their journey. The composition is set against a gentle sky, rolling hills and distant trees, creating a serene landscape that frames the intimate moment.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays the Virgin Mary resting during the Holy Family’s escape to Egypt, a theme often employed to emphasize divine protection and human vulnerability. The calm expression of the mother and the infant’s outstretched hand convey tenderness, while the presence of the donkey and travel paraphernalia underscores the narrative of exile and pilgrimage.
Technique & Style
Gerard David employed oil pigments on a smooth wooden surface, allowing for subtle gradations of light and color. The delicate modeling of flesh, the luminous blue of the robe, and the atmospheric handling of clouds demonstrate his mastery of Northern Renaissance realism, while the balanced composition reflects his careful attention to spatial depth.
History & Provenance
Originally commissioned for the Convent of Our Lady of Paradise in Évora, the painting later entered the collection of Lisbon’s National Museum of Ancient Art, where it remains on display. Its movement from a religious institution to a public museum illustrates the shifting contexts in which such devotional images have been appreciated.
Context
Created during the early 16th‑century flourishing of Early Netherlandish art, the piece aligns with contemporary depictions of the Flight into Egypt, a subject popular among both monastic patrons and private collectors. David’s treatment shares compositional motifs with other works of the period, yet his restrained palette and intimate focus set it apart within the genre.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gerard David (c. 1460 – 13 August 1523) was an Early Netherlandish painter and manuscript illuminator known for his brilliant use of color. Only a bare outline of his life survives, although some facts are known. He may…
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The Rest on the Flight into Egypt![The Saint Anne Altarpiece: Saint Anne with the Virgin and Child [middle panel], by Gerard David](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/gerard-david--the-saint-anne-altarpiece-saint-anne-with-the-virgin-and-chi--781e919f9012a004-w320.webp)
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Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Rest on the flight into Egypt
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
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The Rest on the Flight into Egypt