Rest on Flight into Egypt n.d.

Guido Reni created this drawing, "Rest on the Flight into Egypt," using pen and brown ink with brown wash, likely as a preparatory study. Reni, born in Bologna, lived during a time of significant religious and political upheaval. The Catholic Church was responding to the Protestant Reformation through the Counter-Reformation, reaffirming its doctrines and commissioning art to inspire faith. Here, we see a moment of quiet intimacy: Mary nurses the infant Jesus as Joseph rests nearby. The scene conveys a sense of vulnerability and humanity. Reni develops a tender representation of motherhood, a Madonna who finds solace in the act of feeding her child. The family’s flight into Egypt can be seen as a search for refuge, resonating with contemporary themes of migration and displacement. Even in the midst of turmoil, there's a focus on the maternal bond and the family's collective struggle for safety and peace.