Vlucht naar Egypte 1629 - 1740

This is Christoffel van Sichem the Younger’s woodcut of The Flight into Egypt, made around the turn of the 17th century. Note the serene halo above Mary as she rides the donkey, cradling the infant Christ. This motif of the Madonna and Child riding an animal dates back centuries, echoing earlier depictions of Roman emperors on horseback, symbols of power and divine right. Yet, here, it’s transformed. Instead of triumph, we see a family fleeing persecution. This echoes images of Isis and Horus escaping across the Nile, an earlier Egyptian goddess protecting her son from danger. Consider the donkey, a humble beast of burden, bearing the weight of salvation. The appearance of this animal links it to ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman art where the image of a man riding a donkey symbolized mockery. Could this possibly relate to the rejection of Jesus as the messiah? These connections remind us that images carry cultural memory. They evolve, shift in meaning, yet retain echoes of their past, engaging us on a subconscious level with stories of fear, hope, and the enduring power of motherhood.