The Rest on the Flight into Egypt (with a Truncated Pyramid on the Right) 1767 - 1773

Curator: Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo created this ink and watercolor drawing, "The Rest on the Flight into Egypt (with a Truncated Pyramid on the Right)," sometime between 1767 and 1773. Editor: My immediate impression is one of otherworldly calm. The sepia tones create a dreamlike quality. Curator: This scene from the New Testament typically depicts a moment of respite, but Tiepolo inserts an element of Egyptian exoticism, the pyramid. Editor: The pyramid's rigid geometry contrasts so starkly with the organic forms of the trees and the billowing drapery of the angel. It creates a compositional tension. And the angel appears twice—once up high near another pyramid and again in the middle hovering near the resting family. Curator: True. And Tiepolo was working during a period of increasing fascination with Egyptian culture, even though Egypt remained quite mysterious in many respects. Editor: The angel guides the family. Consider, too, the basket, donkey and the figure who seems to be herding them. Tiepolo clearly understands how color temperature contributes to the piece overall. Curator: Perhaps this acknowledges the reliance of Christianity upon non-Western landscapes? And this particular Flight into Egypt calls attention to larger systems of oppression, immigration, and survival. Editor: Maybe, but consider the artist's masterful control of light and shadow in the subtle rendering of forms, or the implied lines leading our eye around the scene. Isn't that what grounds our attention here? Curator: I see this more as a glimpse into the intersection of religion, colonialism, and identity. The dreaminess emphasizes a space in-between, a temporary shelter for displaced people seeking liberation. Editor: A compelling argument; though, regardless of interpretation, Tiepolo demonstrates phenomenal technical skill. I especially love the economical use of line to define forms. Curator: A technical marvel that pushes us to confront a number of power dynamics woven into our art history and religious understanding.