Where can I see Two Draped Female Figures; Rest on the Flight into Egypt [verso]?

Two Draped Female Figures; Rest on the Flight into Egypt [verso] is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Two Draped Female Figures; Rest on the Flight into Egypt [verso]?

Two Draped Female Figures; Rest on the Flight into Egypt [verso] is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Two Draped Female Figures; Rest on the Flight into Egypt [verso]

Two Draped Female Figures; Rest on the Flight into Egypt [verso] is a chalk drawing by the Baroque artist Angelo Marullo. It dates from 1670 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Angelo Marullo’s drawing, dated 1670, is executed on laid paper with pen, brown ink, and a brown wash applied over black chalk. The work is divided into two distinct vignettes on the verso: a solitary, draped female figure on the left and a crowded, narrative scene on the right.

Subject & Meaning

The left panel presents a tall woman in flowing robes, hands clasped, her expression serene, suggesting a devotional or noble portrait. The right panel depicts a group of figures—some seated, others kneeling—gazing upward at a luminous, floating presence, likely an angelic figure, evoking the biblical Flight into Egypt.

Technique & Style

Marullo employs swift, sketchy lines and a loose handling of ink and wash, allowing the drapery and gestures to suggest movement without fine detail. The contrast between the calm, linear rendering of the solitary figure and the busier, more gestural composition on the right illustrates his ability to convey narrative tension through varied line work.

History & Provenance

Created in the late seventeenth century, the drawing is attributed to Marullo, an Italian draftsman active during the Baroque period. Its provenance traces to private collections before entering the museum’s holdings, where it is displayed as part of the drawing department’s Baroque holdings.

Context

The work reflects the Baroque fascination with dramatic religious scenes, particularly the Flight into Egypt, a subject frequently rendered by contemporaries. Marullo’s combination of a solitary devotional figure with a larger narrative tableau aligns with the period’s interest in juxtaposing personal piety and communal experience.