Artwork

The Flight into Egypt: Altered from Seghers

The Flight into Egypt: Altered from Seghers, by Rembrandt, ink, 1653
The Flight into Egypt: Altered from Seghers, by Rembrandt, ink, 1653

The Flight into Egypt: Altered from Seghers is an ink print by the Baroque artist Rembrandt. It dates from 1653 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The Flight into Egypt: Altered from Seghers is a print by Rembrandt van Rijn, dating to circa 1653, executed in etching, burin, and drypoint on laid paper.

Subject & Meaning

The subject of the print is the biblical narrative of the Flight into Egypt. While the original description by Seghers is not detailed here, Rembrandt's interpretation would typically emphasize the emotional and spiritual depth of the scene, though specific visual elements are not provided.

Technique & Style

Rembrandt employed a combination of etching, burin, and drypoint techniques. Etching allowed for detailed lines, burin added precise, expressive elements, and drypoint contributed to the work's texture and shading, characteristic of Rembrandt's innovative printmaking approach.

History & Provenance

Created around 1653, the print's history and ownership timeline are not provided in the given details. Typically, works from this period by Rembrandt would have been widely circulated among collectors and connoisseurs of 17th-century Dutch art.

Context

This print reflects Rembrandt's interest in biblical themes and his experimentation with printmaking techniques during the mid-17th century. It aligns with the Dutch Golden Age's prolific artistic output and the era's religious themes in art.

Legacy

As part of Rembrandt's oeuvre, The Flight into Egypt contributes to the artist's reputation for mastery in multiple mediums, influencing later generations of printmakers and artists in their approach to biblical subjects and technical innovation.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Rembrandt

Artist

Rembrandt

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), known mononymously as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.