Flight into Egypt 1757

Editor: This is "Flight into Egypt" by François Vivares. It's a print, depicting a landscape with figures. It's quite serene, almost idyllic despite its biblical subject. How do you interpret this work in its historical context? Curator: This image speaks volumes about the 18th-century's fascination with the pastoral and the picturesque. Consider how Vivares, by referencing Claude Lorrain, aligns this biblical scene with established artistic conventions of landscape. How does this choice shape the narrative? Editor: It almost domesticates it, doesn't it? Making it more relatable. Curator: Precisely. The artwork becomes less about religious fervor and more about universal human experiences within a cultivated landscape. It reflects the period's emphasis on reason and order. I learned something new as well. Editor: Me too! Thanks!