Artwork
Flight into Egypt
Flight into Egypt is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo’s oil on canvas titled *Flight into Egypt* dates from 1500 and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. The work depicts a biblical escape scene rendered with the lightness and decorative flair typical of the Rococo period, emphasizing graceful movement and luminous color.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents the Holy Family crossing water: a bearded man rows, a woman cradles a newborn, and an infant reaches toward a celestial figure. Two angels hover above—one guiding the vessel, the other extending a hand toward the baby—symbolising divine protection during the flight from persecution.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting showcases Tiepolo’s characteristic fluid brushwork and vibrant palette. Delicate textures differentiate the gleaming white wings of the angels, the richly dyed garments of the woman, and the intricate rendering of the man’s long beard, creating a lively interplay of light and surface.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, the canvas has remained in the public domain, eventually entering the Rijksmuseum’s holdings. Its attribution to Tiepolo aligns with the artist’s prolific output of religious subjects, though the early date predates his lifetime, reflecting historical cataloguing inconsistencies.
Context
*Flight into Egypt* belongs to the broader Rococo movement, which favored airy compositions and decorative elegance. Within Tiepolo’s oeuvre, the work exemplifies his skill in integrating narrative drama with ornamental detail, a balance that appealed to 18th‑century patrons seeking both spiritual and aesthetic satisfaction.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, also known as Giambattista Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice who painted in the Rococo style, considered an important member of the 18th-century Venetian school.
The Flight into Egypt
Die Fürbitte des Heiligen Gregor für die Seelen im Fegefeuer
The Flight into Egypt
Saint Bridget saved from a shipwreck by the Virgin Mary
The Return of the Holy Family to Nazareth
The rapture of Saint Paul
The Sacrifice of Isaac
Allegory of Knowledge and the Arts in Naples
Tobias and the Angel
Study for "An Apotheosis of a Saint" (for San Bernardino dei Morti, Milan)