Artwork
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Rest on the Flight into Egypt is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Andrea Scacciati. It dates from 1766 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Andrea Scacciati’s print titled Rest on the Flight into Egypt dates from around 1766. Executed as an etching with a brown sulfur tint and roulette shading, the work presents a small, intimate scene rendered in a loose, sketch‑like manner.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts two figures taking a pause beneath a tree. A woman, presumably the Virgin, leans against the trunk while cradling an infant, likely the Christ child. Beside them, an older man, identified as Joseph, sits with his head bowed, suggesting a moment of quiet contemplation during their journey.
Technique & Style
Scacciati employed traditional etching methods, incising the image onto a copper plate before printing. The addition of a sulfur brown tint and roulette stippling creates a muted, atmospheric tone. The lines are deliberately rough and gestural, giving the impression of a rapid study rather than a finished, polished illustration.
Context
The subject draws on the longstanding Christian narrative of the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt, a theme frequently revisited by Baroque and Rococo artists. Scacciati’s treatment aligns with the 18th‑century interest in devotional prints that could be reproduced affordably for private devotion.
Artist & collection
