The Flight into Egypt 

Jean-Léon Gérôme painted "The Flight into Egypt" sometime in the 19th century. The piece invites us to consider the narratives of migration and refuge that are both historically resonant and acutely contemporary. Here, Gérôme depicts the holy family as Middle Eastern refugees in a vast, unforgiving landscape. Mary, shrouded and mounted on a donkey, carries the infant Jesus, while Joseph walks alongside, his form blending into the shadows. The traditional narrative focuses on their divinity. However, Gérôme’s orientalist gaze brings forth questions about cultural representation, and who gets to tell whose story. The painting taps into the 19th-century fascination with the ‘Orient’ and its people, whilst it also speaks to the timeless experience of seeking safety and sanctuary. "The Flight into Egypt" invites us to reflect on the intersections of faith, identity, and the human experience of displacement. It asks us to consider how historical depictions of marginalized figures shape our understanding of current social and political realities.