Curatorial Notes
The flight into Egypt—a common subject in European art—refers to an episode in the life of Christ when his family fled King Herod, who sought to kill the infant Jesus. Abraham van Diepenbeeck made the theme his own by including an angel and the inquisitive cow at bottom right. This panel was not intended to be a finished painting; it is instead a grisaille (monochrome grey) oil sketch, which was then translated into an engraving. Collaborating with printmakers could be lucrative for painters while also providing an opportunity to advertise their artistry more widely.
Artwork Identification
Title The Flight into Egypt
Title (PT) A Fuga para o Egito
Title (ES) La Huida a Egipto
Artist Abraham Jansz. van Diepenbeeck
Artist Bio Abraham van Diepenbeeck (Flemish, 1596-1675)
Date c. 1650
Work Type Painting
Location & Collection
Institution Art Institute of Chicago
Source View Museum Page
License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
