The rest of the Holy Family on their flight to Egypt
1531–76
Medium
Engraving and etching
Dimensions
sheet: 12 15/16 x 13 7/8 in. (32.8 x 35.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund
Accession Number
51.639.26
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Giulio Bonasone’s *The Rest of the Holy Family on Their Flight to Egypt* captures a tender moment from the biblical narrative, showing Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus pausing to rest during their journey accompanied by ministering angels Created between 153 and 1576, print reflects the enduring popularity devotional subjects in Renaissance Italy, where such images bring sacred stories into everyday for a wide audience. Executed in engraving and etching the work demonstrates the technical sophistication of 16th-century printmaking. Bonasone combined the precise lines of engraving with the softer tonal effects etching, allowing for rich detail and expressive shading within a modest sheet measuring roughly 13 by 14 inches. This hybrid approach made the image both reproducible and visually compelling, helping to spread religious iconography across Europe. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, the piece belongs to a long tradition of prints that blended artistic skill with spiritual purpose. Its presence in the Elisha Whittelsey Collection underscores the enduring value of such works as both devotional tools and examples of fine craftsmanship.
About the Artist
Giulio Bonasone · 1500–1600
Comment on works: History; Mythology