Who painted The Flight into Egypt?

The Flight into Egypt was painted by Hanns Lautensack in 1558.

Where can I see The Flight into Egypt?

The Flight into Egypt is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Flight into Egypt?

The Flight into Egypt is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

The Flight into Egypt

Hanns Lautensack , 1558

The Flight into Egypt is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Hanns Lautensack. It dates from 1558 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1558, this black‑and‑white print portrays the biblical Flight into Egypt.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1558, this black‑and‑white print portrays the biblical Flight into Egypt. The composition presents a rugged, hilly terrain with a solitary, twisted tree in the foreground, a winding path descending toward a modest riverside village, and a distant castle perched on a cliff. The scene is rendered entirely through fine incised lines, giving the work a stark, atmospheric quality.

Subject & Meaning

The image illustrates the Holy Family’s escape from Herod’s decree, a theme frequently invoked to symbolize divine protection and exile. By placing the figures within an expansive, untamed landscape, the artist emphasizes the vulnerability of the travelers against the vast, indifferent world, while the distant castle may hint at looming authority.

Technique & Style

Executed as an etching, the picture was produced by incising lines into a metal plate with acid, allowing for precise rendering of textures such as bark, rock, and water. The artist’s use of sharp, cross‑hatching creates depth and contrast, characteristic of mid‑16th‑century German printmaking. A monogram signature appears on the plate, confirming authorship.

History & Provenance

The work is attributed to Hanns Lautensack, a German printmaker born in Bamberg in 1524 and active primarily in Nuremberg before relocating to Vienna around 1556, possibly at the behest of Emperor Ferdinand I. Lautensack, the son of painter Paul Lautensack, produced a series of religious and landscape etchings during this period.

Context

During the mid‑1500s, etching emerged as a favored medium for disseminating religious narratives across Europe. Lautensack’s prints reflect the Northern Renaissance’s interest in detailed naturalism and the integration of biblical subjects into everyday settings, aligning his work with contemporaries who sought to make sacred stories visually accessible.