Artwork
The Holy Family on the Flight meets the infant St John
The Holy Family on the Flight meets the infant St John is a tempera painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Guercino. It dates from 1638 and is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum.
About this work
Overview
This tempera painting, created around 1638, is a work by Guercino, an Italian artist from Cento. It exemplifies his early style, marked by naturalism and expressive handling of the medium.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a scene from Christian tradition, likely apocryphal, where the Holy Family encounters the young John the Baptist during their flight into Egypt. The figures are shown in simple robes, with the Virgin holding Jesus and St John kneeling before them.
Technique & Style
The artist's use of warm, earthy tones and chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth. The figures are rendered in a dynamic, naturalistic style, characteristic of Guercino's early work.
Context
The painting is a product of the early Baroque period in Italy, reflecting the artistic trends of the time. Guercino's career spanned periods in Rome and Bologna, influencing his style and output.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (8 February 1591 – 22 December 1666), better known as (il) Guercino (Italian pronunciation: ), was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna.
Holy Family with the infant St John Baptist and St Catherine
The Flight into Egypt
St. Mary, little Jesus and st. Katharina
Hagar and Ishmael in the Wilderness (Genesis 21.17)
The Virgin teaching the infant Christ to read
The Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John and Attendant Angels
The Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist
The Virgin and Sleeping Christ Child
The Virgin and Child with Saints Elizabeth and John
The Flight into Egypt