Artwork
The Flight, Holy Family Walking with Angel
The Flight, Holy Family Walking with Angel is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo. It dates from 1753 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1753, *The Flight, Holy Family Walking with Angel* is an etching by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo. Executed in black and white, the print depicts a small procession moving across a turbulent, rocky terrain under a storm‑filled sky. The composition centers on a figure cradling an infant, accompanied by three other robed figures, all rendered with a sense of swift motion.
Subject & Meaning
The image illustrates the biblical episode of the Holy Family’s escape to Egypt, accompanied by an angelic guide. The central figure holding the child represents Mary with the infant Jesus, while the adjacent figures suggest Joseph and the protective angel. The harsh landscape and swirling clouds underscore the peril of the journey, emphasizing divine guardianship amid adversity.
Technique & Style
Tiepolo employed the etching process, incising a metal plate with a needle to create lines that retain ink. The work is distinguished by dense cross‑hatching, which builds texture on the rocks and sky and conveys atmospheric turbulence. This method, typical of 18th‑century printmaking, allows fine gradations of tone and accentuates the dramatic movement of the figures.
History & Provenance
The print reflects the younger Tiepolo’s apprenticeship under his father, the renowned painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, while marking his own foray into graphic arts. Produced during a period when the Tiepolo workshop was active in Venice, the work circulated among collectors of religious prints, though specific ownership records for this particular impression remain limited.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (August 30, 1727 – March 3, 1804) was an Italian painter and printmaker in etching. He was the son of artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and elder brother of Lorenzo Baldissera Tiepolo.
The Flight, Holy Family Walking with Angel
The Flight with the Holy Family at the Right
Flight into Egypt: The Holy Family, Disembarking
The Flight with the Holy Family at the Left
The Flight into Egypt: The Flight with the Madonna at Right Supported by Angels
Flight into Egypt: The Holy Family Approaching a Village
Flight into Egypt: The Holy Family Leaving the Shore