The Rest on the Flight into Egypt
mid-17th century
Medium
Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash
Dimensions
sheet: 8 5/16 x 10 15/16 in. (21.1 x 27.8 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Harry G. Sperling, 1971
Accession Number
1975.131.165
Tags
Art Historical Context
Herman van Swanevelt *The Rest on the Flight Egypt*, created in the mid-17th century, captures a tender moment from the biblical narrative where the Holy Family pauses during their escape from King Herod. The Virgin Mary cradles the infant Jesus, likely accompanied by Joseph and perhaps an angel, amid a lush landscape dotted with trees—a scene rich in spiritual respite and natural beauty. As a Dutch artist of the Age who trained in Italy van Swanevelt infused his works with the idealized, atmospheric landscapes of the Roman countryside, blending northern precision with southern grandeur. Rend...
About the Artist
Herman van Swanevelt · 1603–1655
Herman van Swanevelt (1603–1655) was a leading Dutch Baroque painter, draughtsman, and etcher, celebrated for his luminous Italianate landscapes that bridged the classical ideals of Rome with the emerging naturalism of the Dutch Golden Age. Born in Woerden, near Utrecht, to a family of artisans whose lineage traced back to the renowned Lucas van Leyden, Swanevelt's early life and training remain s...