The flight into Egypt: small after 1633

This small etching, “The Flight into Egypt,” was made anonymously, date unknown, and is now held in the Rijksmuseum. The flight into Egypt is a biblical scene depicting Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus fleeing to Egypt to escape King Herod's infanticide. The image resonates with the social upheaval of its time, reflecting the anxieties and uncertainties that many felt. Here, we see the image creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. The lack of glorification in the depiction of this key moment in the life of Christ suggests a culture seeking solace and perhaps finding resonance in the themes of displacement and seeking refuge. To fully understand the artwork, we can dive deeper into the study of art, social, and religious history, and of course institutional histories of museums and galleries. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.