Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)
| Artist Name | Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) |
|---|---|
| Title | The Holy Family - The Rest on the Flight to Egypt |
| Description | This beautiful 17th century religious Old Master oil painting is attributed to the circle of Peter Paul Rubens. The painting is the iconic image of the Holy Family as they rest on the flight to Egypt. There is wonderful detail in the faces and a golden glow behind them is beautifully reflected in the colour of Mary's clothes and Jesus' hair. An enchanting religious 17th century painting of an iconic moment. The flight into Egypt is a story recounted in the Gospel of Matthew and in New Testament apocrypha. Soon after the visit by the Magi, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to flee to Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus since King Herod would seek the child to kill him. The episode is frequently shown in art, as the final episode of the Nativity of Jesus in art, and was a common component in cycles of the Life of the Virgin as well as the Life of Christ. Within the narrative tradition, iconic representation of the "Rest on the Flight into Egypt" developed after the 14th century. |
| Provenance | Oxfordshire estate. Bearing partial wax seals to stretcher, inscribed in pencil to stretcher 'Van Dyck & PP Rubens'. Christies. Faint remains of old Christies stencils verso. |
| Medium | Oil on Canvas |
| Size | 30 x 36 inches |
| Frame | Housed in a swept carved giltwood and gesso frame, 39 inches by 45 inches and in good condition. |
| Condition | Good condition. |
| Biography | Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was a Flemish artist. He is considered the most influential artist of Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens's highly charged compositions reference erudite aspects of classical and Christian history. His unique and immensely popular Baroque style emphasized movement, colour, and sensuality, which followed the immediate, dramatic artistic style promoted in the Counter-Reformation. |
| Price | SOLD |
