Vlucht naar Egypte 1626 - 1657

Curator: Sebastien Bourdon created this engraving, "Flight into Egypt," sometime between 1626 and 1657. Editor: There's such starkness to it, isn't there? That etched line, those little figures seemingly swallowed by the landscape and the overall texture feels almost brittle, like ancient parchment. Curator: Yes, and the printmaking process is so central to its meaning. The reproducibility of engraving meant this scene could be widely disseminated. Think of the role of prints as accessible carriers of biblical narratives and Bourdon, using the print medium itself, became part of that wider practice of dissemination. Editor: Absolutely. It's also hard not to think about the labor, and how the burin digs into the metal, forcing this image into existence with its lines so precise yet also hinting at the monumental scale of what's being shown. But back to that "Flight," imagine actually making that journey, with everything they owned, relying on whatever work was available as they tried to blend in. Curator: Indeed. The journey itself became a part of the message for many people and artists—the labor embedded in the artistic practice also mirrored the practical journey undertaken. The Flight becomes a broader meditation on seeking refuge, crossing divides both geographic and socioeconomic. What I also note about this piece is the landscape around it seems far grander than those at the foreground, the humanistic approach becomes a minor concern compared to that broader nature. Editor: It’s funny you say that about it all—I see those tiny figures with Mary and Joseph dwarfed, the donkey too! But look closer, there is actually hope too— a glimmer of a safe, fertile world despite what this world looks like at face value. Bourdon actually seems to find something deeper about the relationship, of humanity and everything else surrounding them. Curator: Well, looking at it from our stand point today makes one understand this small engraving can unpack much beyond religion, which offers perspectives that many may appreciate—maybe that journey we are all undertaking together? Editor: A journey for everyone, crafted line by line, layer upon layer, isn't it? That echoes beyond the walls, doesn't it, this piece.