“Landscape with the Flight into Egypt” is an oil painting on panel by the renowned Northern Renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder, created in 1563. This landscape and religious painting, measuring 37.1 x 55.6 cm, is housed in the Courtauld Gallery in London, UK. The artwork embodies the intricate and detailed style typical of the Northern Renaissance movement.
The artwork captures a serene yet dramatic landscape scene featuring the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt. A rugged mountainous terrain occupies the left side of the canvas, with jagged peaks rising against a partly cloudy, expansive sky. On the right side, a vast, meandering river flows through a verdant valley dotted with trees, villages, and castles, receding into a distant, misty horizon. Amidst this grandeur, the diminutive figures of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus on a donkey traverse the foreground, adding a narrative context to the natural setting. The detailed depiction of nature and the delicate interplay of light and shadow exemplify Bruegel’s masterful ability to blend religious themes with meticulous landscape artistry.