Vlucht naar Egypte 1931

Curator: This etching, titled "Vlucht naar Egypte," or "Flight into Egypt," was created by Lodewijk Schelfhout in 1931. It's currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. What's your first impression? Editor: Somber, definitely somber. It feels weighted, almost oppressed. The grayscale rendering gives it this serious tone. But look at that landscape: flat, kind of bleak... it really mirrors the tension in the biblical story, doesn’t it? Curator: Absolutely. Schelfhout uses the print medium perfectly to amplify that feeling. Consider the line work – short, almost frantic hatching gives volume and form. And there's a stark contrast between the white halo on Mary, that pulls the viewer in and sets a point of departure against the very, very dark. Editor: It almost vibrates. And see how the horizontal lines in the background emphasize the length of the journey. The rigidity reminds me of early Expressionist woodcuts, stylistically, especially the raw almost intentionally harsh presentation. Curator: That's interesting. Although on its face narrative art, and inspired by biblical themes, I'm more fascinated by how the materiality pushes through. He creates a sense of depth and space, while acknowledging its surface through pattern and composition of figures against the horizon line. The symbolic load is massive of course: fleeing as refuge from potential death... It gets you in the guts, does it not? Editor: For sure. Especially with the formal elements that really enhance the weight of the whole ordeal. The compressed depth in the background; the small figure sizes emphasizing an expansive landscape; really emphasizes their precarious vulnerability against an unknown world. Even those rigid planes hint to their fears; something is looming... the line work captures it masterfully. I wonder, could that be the actual intent, here? Curator: I think we might be on the same page, perhaps even traveling to the same far flung landscapes of our own imagination as this small, solemn party. The interplay is complex and so delicate; how fortunate are we to bask for a while in this work.