Rest on the Flight into Egypt 1871

Rodolphe Bresdin created this print, Rest on the Flight into Egypt, using lithography, a technique that democratized image-making in the 19th century. With lithography, the artist draws on a stone or metal plate with a greasy crayon, and then the print is pulled. Look closely, and you can see the accumulation of tiny marks that form the composition. Bresdin was celebrated for the density of detail he achieved with this method, layering tone upon tone. His obsessive approach to the medium aligns with the image’s theme: The Holy Family resting on their journey into exile is a humble subject, at one with the abundance of nature. Bresdin himself was a perpetual outsider, living in poverty, and we can see something of that experience reflected in this print’s poignant vision. Considering the material realities of artmaking helps us to see these connections. Lithography was a process well suited to an artist of limited means but unlimited dedication.