La Sainte Famille au Repos (The Holy Family at Rest) 1839 - 1885

Rodolphe Bresdin's "La Sainte Famille au Repos" (The Holy Family at Rest), an etching created between 1839 and 1885, depicts the biblical scene of the Holy Family resting in a shadowy landscape. The etching's dark background is illuminated by a soft light emanating from the figures, highlighting their ethereal presence. This small-scale work, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, showcases Bresdin's masterful use of light and shadow, which he employed to create a sense of intimacy and reverence in his depiction of this sacred subject.