Artwork
Flight into Egypt: The Holy Family Arriving at the Bank of the River
Flight into Egypt: The Holy Family Arriving at the Bank of the River is a print by the Baroque artist Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo. It dates from 1752 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1752 by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, this print captures a moment from the biblical Flight into Egypt. Executed during the height of the Italian Rococo, the work reflects the period’s emphasis on movement and emotional nuance. Though smaller in scale than his father’s grand frescoes, Tiepolo’s composition conveys quiet narrative tension through careful arrangement and atmospheric detail.
Subject & Meaning
The scene portrays the Holy Family—Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus—pausing beside a river as they flee persecution in Judea. Joseph leads with a staff, scanning the path ahead, while Mary, holding the child, follows closely. The stillness of their pause contrasts with the turbulent sky and flowing water, suggesting both vulnerability and divine guidance amid uncertainty.
Technique & Style
The composition avoids ornamental excess, favoring expressive clarity over Rococo frivolity, aligning more with narrative restraint than decorative flourish.
Tiepolo employs chiaroscuro to model forms with sharp contrasts between light and shadow, enhancing the three-dimensionality of the figures. His fluid linework defines flowing garments and rippling water, while the storm-lit sky adds dramatic weight. The composition avoids ornamental excess, favoring expressive clarity over Rococo frivolity, aligning more with narrative restraint than decorative flourish.
History & Provenance
The work entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection as part of a broader acquisition of Tiepolo family drawings and prints. Its provenance traces back to 18th-century Italian collections, likely originating in Venice, where the Tiepolo workshop operated. The piece survived intact through private holdings before its public institutional acquisition in the 20th century.
Context
Produced during a time when religious subjects remained central to artistic patronage, this print reflects the continued relevance of biblical narratives in Venetian culture. While large-scale altarpieces dominated churches, smaller works like this catered to private devotion and scholarly interest, blending spiritual themes with the era’s refined draftsmanship.
Legacy
Though less celebrated than his father’s monumental works, Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo’s prints like this one demonstrate a nuanced command of emotion and atmosphere. They influenced later generations of draftsmen interested in intimate storytelling and expressive line, preserving a quiet but enduring strand of 18th-century Italian graphic art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (August 30, 1727 – March 3, 1804) was an Italian painter and printmaker in etching. He was the son of artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and elder brother of Lorenzo Baldissera Tiepolo.
Flight into Egypt: The Holy Family and the Flock of Sheep
Flight into Egypt: The Holy Family Leaving the Shore
The Holy Family at the Bank of the River
Flight into Egypt: The Holy Family, Disembarking
The Holy Family Being Ferried Across the River
The Flight with the Holy Family at the Right
Flight into Egypt: The Holy Family Approaching a Village
Flight into Egypt: The Holy Family and the Palm Tree
Flight into Egypt: The Holy Family Passing near a Pyramid