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The Flight into Egypt

A work made of engraving on paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of engraving on paper.

Date:

1488–91

Artist:

Martin Schongauer
German, c. 1430/50-1491

About this artwork

Martin Schongauer was one of the most prolific early engravers from the Rhine Valley. He signed all his prints with his initials, making him the first printmaker whose authorship was absolutely clear. While a handful of the artist’s paintings survive, Schongauer’s engravings inspired generations of artists, including Albrecht Dürer. This iconic image shows the Holy Family resting while fleeing the Massacre of the Innocents and their home in Israel for Egypt. The work reflects some traditional accounts of the story, in which angels lowered date palms for easy harvesting, so Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child would not starve.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Martin Schongauer

Title

The Flight into Egypt

Place

Germany (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1488–1491

Medium

Engraving on paper

Dimensions

Image/plate: 25.7 × 17.2 cm (10 1/8 × 6 13/16 in.); Sheet: 26.3 × 17.7 cm (10 3/8 × 7 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. Potter Palmer, Jr.

Reference Number

1953.508

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/79861/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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