The Flight into Egypt 1625 - 1636

Claude Lorrain made this etching called "The Flight into Egypt" sometime in the mid-seventeenth century. Claude was working in Rome, but as a French artist, he found himself outside the institutions of power. This print is a beautiful example of how landscape painting could take on religious themes. The subject comes from the Gospel of Matthew, which tells of Joseph and Mary fleeing to Egypt with the infant Jesus to escape King Herod’s order to kill all male children. In "The Flight into Egypt," Claude emphasizes the landscape rather than the figures. In seventeenth-century Europe, the Catholic Church was the major patron of the arts, commissioning paintings, sculptures, and architecture to promote its teachings and solidify its power. Claude made this print for a wider market. He was interested in exploring the relationship between humanity and nature. By looking at Claude’s other works and reading historical documents, we can better understand the social and cultural context in which this print was made.