Artwork
The Flight into Egypt
The Flight into Egypt is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Pieter Coecke van Aelst. It dates from 1501 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1501, this oil on canvas by the Flemish painter Pieter Coecke van Aelst depicts a biblical episode known as the Flight into Egypt. The work is part of the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it is displayed among other religious paintings of the early sixteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a kneeling woman, draped in a white headscarf and flowing robe, who cradles an infant. An older male figure, clothed in a red garment with a white collar, leans forward and points upward, suggesting guidance or warning. Their solemn expressions convey a moment of divine protection during the Holy Family’s escape.
Technique & Style
Coecke van Aelst employs chiaroscuro to model the figures, allowing light to illuminate the faces and hands while the surrounding ground recedes into deep shadow. The limited palette—muted blues, reds, and earth tones—enhances the dramatic contrast, and the faint, indistinct lines in the background hint at a cavernous setting without detailing a landscape.
History & Provenance
The painting has remained in the public domain since its early seventeenth‑century acquisition by the Spanish royal collection, eventually entering the Prado Museum’s holdings. Its attribution to Coecke van Aelst has been confirmed through stylistic analysis and archival records linking the work to the artist’s workshop in Antwerp.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter Coecke van Aelst or Pieter Coecke van Aelst the Elder was a Flemish painter, sculptor, architect, author and designer of woodcuts, goldsmith's work, stained glass and tapestries.
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The Last Supper
Last Supper
Adoration of the Magi
Lamentation of Christ (after Raphael)
Triptych with the Annunciation, the Adoration of the Magi and the Nativity with Angels and Shepherds
