Rust op de vlucht naar Egypte 1626 - 1671

Sebastien Bourdon captured this rest on the flight to Egypt in an etching. We see Mary, the infant Christ, Joseph, angels and the donkey, each element rich with symbolic meaning. Mary, the mother, embodies maternal love and piety. The angels attending to the Christ Child are reminiscent of classical winged victories, symbols of triumph adapted into Christian iconography. The halo, an ancient symbol of divinity, marks Jesus as holy, a visual motif seen across cultures from sun gods to saints. Think of the Venus Pudica, where the figure modestly covers herself; the positioning of Mary's hands evokes similar feelings of humility and purity. This gesture echoes through art history, resurfacing in countless depictions of virtuous women. The imagery has been passed down through history, shifting in meaning, evolving to represent power in different forms in new contexts. These symbols engage viewers on a deep, subconscious level. This non-linear progression sees symbols resurface and evolve, taking on new meanings across time.