Artwork
The Flight into Egypt
The Flight into Egypt is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Jan de Beer. It dates from 1523 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.
About this work
Overview
Jan de Beer, an early‑16th‑century Flemish painter active in Antwerp, produced an oil‑on‑panel work titled *The Flight into Egypt* in 1523. The composition shows a woman in a dark blue cloak riding a donkey with a child, accompanied by a bearded man in a red mantle, set against a rocky landscape with a modest structure and a tree.
Subject & Meaning
The painting illustrates the biblical episode in which the Holy Family escapes to Egypt to evade King Herod’s decree. The woman, identified as the Virgin Mary, cradles the infant Jesus, while Joseph follows, bearing a bundle that suggests the necessities of a forced journey. The subdued lighting and the figures’ weary yet dignified bearing convey both peril and divine protection.
Technique & Style
The figures are rendered with elongated poses and intricate drapery, while the landscape recedes through a shallow atmospheric perspective.
Executed in oil on wood, the work displays the elaborate detailing characteristic of Antwerp Mannerism. De Beer employs rich, saturated pigments—particularly the deep blues and reds of the garments—and fine gold thread on the donkey’s harness to suggest wealth amid hardship. The figures are rendered with elongated poses and intricate drapery, while the landscape recedes through a shallow atmospheric perspective.
History & Provenance
Created in 1523, the painting was likely produced in de Beer’s Antwerp workshop, which specialized in devotional images for export. It entered the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland in the 20th century, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of Northern Renaissance art.
Context
De Beer was a leading exponent of the Antwerp Mannerist movement, a style that blended Gothic traditions with emerging Renaissance influences. His workshop catered to a market for religious narratives, often emphasizing ornate costume and dramatic composition. *The Flight into Egypt* reflects these tendencies, situating a biblical story within a richly detailed, contemporary visual language.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan de Beer, formerly known as the Master of the Milan Adoration (c. 1475 – 1528) was a Flemish painter, draughtsman and glass designer active in Antwerp at the beginning of the 16th century. He is considered one of the…
