The Flight into Egypt (from The Life of the Virgin, set of 20)

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The Flight into Egypt (from The Life of the Virgin, set of 20)

Artist Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471-1528)

Dateabout 1504-1505

Dimensions11 15/16 x 8 3/16 in.

MediumWoodcut

ClassificationPrints

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number

1924.50

Not on View

Label TextIn a scene from the Bible, the Virgin Mary, Joseph, and the infant Christ flee into Egypt after Joseph was warned in a dream that King Herod wished to have Christ killed. Fifteen winged cherubs watch over the scene as the Holy Family travels through the dark, exotic forest accompanied by an ox and donkey. This image is unprecedented for its three-dimensionality, achieved through the extremely detailed and delicate foliage of the trees and shrubs, and the skillful use of dense, parallel hatching for shading. The inclusion of a date palm (left edge) and dragon tree (right side, with twisted trunk and limbs) are used to indicate a Middle Eastern setting, as well as to symbolically reference nourishment and health. The tablet bearing the artist’s monogram is almost hidden in the foreground and reminds the viewer that Dürer was the first artist to consistently sign both his woodcuts and his engravings.Published ReferencesDackerman, Susan, editor, Painted Prints: The Revelation of Color in Northern Renaissance & Baroque Engravings, Etchings, and Woodcuts, The Baltimore Museum of Art, 2002, cat. 43 Bartsch 89. Hollstein 201. Meder 201.Exhibition HistoryThe Passion and the Apocalypse: Albrecht Dürer's Renaissance, Oct 1,04 - Jan 2,05 TMA Durer Prints: Sept. 17 -Oct. 30, 1983Paper Roses: Garden-Inspired Works on Paper. Feb. 21-May 18, 2014.