Rest on the Flight into Egypt 1858

Rodolphe Bresdin created this tiny yet expansive etching, "Rest on the Flight into Egypt," during the 19th century, a time of significant social upheaval and artistic experimentation. Bresdin, often marginalized and living in poverty, poured his personal experiences into his work, offering us an image imbued with themes of refuge and survival. The etching depicts the Holy Family seeking asylum, a narrative resonating with the era's broader concerns around displacement and the search for safe haven. Bresdin's choice to represent this biblical scene through a lens of human vulnerability reflects his own precarious existence. Notice the intricate detail, the almost obsessive rendering of the landscape, this can be viewed as a metaphor for the complex layers of identity and history embedded within us all. Bresdin does not offer us a traditional, idealized depiction, instead, he offers us a raw and intimate glimpse into the emotional weight of seeking refuge.