The Rest on the Flight into Egypt (1737) by Francois Boucher

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt - Francois Boucher - 1737

Artwork Information

TitleThe Rest on the Flight into Egypt
ArtistFrancois Boucher
Date1737
Art MovementRococo
Current LocationHermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia

About The Rest on the Flight into Egypt

The artwork “The Rest on the Flight into Egypt” was created by the French artist Francois Boucher in 1737. It belongs to the Rococo art movement and is categorized as a religious painting, reflecting the period’s fascination with ornate and decorative styles. This particular piece can be found in the prestigious Hermitage Museum located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where it contributes to the museum’s vast and celebrated collection.

In the artwork, the scene depicted is serene and imbued with a sense of divine tranquility. The Holy Family is represented during their flight to Egypt, a biblical narrative where Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus are said to flee from King Herod’s Massacre of the Innocents. The Virgin Mary is seated on the right, clothed in a vibrant red and blue, colors traditionally associated with her in Christian art; she is shown in a contemplative state, hands clasped in prayer, illuminated by a soft, celestial light. The infant Jesus slumbers peacefully at her side, suggesting innocence and vulnerability, while an angelic figure hovers protectively above.

Joseph, on the other hand, is depicted reclining on the left side of the composition, appearing weary from the journey as he looks upwards, potentially in conversation with the angel above or perhaps seeking divine guidance. The setting is a nocturnal landscape, where the natural and the supernatural converge—a lush backdrop of trees and rock formations enveloped in a mysterious twilight. The use of chiaroscuro, the dramatic contrast between light and dark, enhances the mystical atmosphere of the scene.

Cherubs float amid the clouds, adding to the artwork’s ethereal quality, and the inclusion of domesticated animals, such as the donkey and the sheep, grounds the scene in reality, offering a contrast to the overall otherworldliness of the narrative. The delicate rendering of figures and foliage, combined with the dynamic interplay of light and shadow, typifies Boucher’s skillful embrace of the Rococo style and his mastery at conveying both earthly beauty and heavenly grace.

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