Rest on the Flight into Egypt | |
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Artist | Federico Barocci |
Year | c. 1573 |
Medium | Oil on canvas |
Dimensions | 133 cm × 110 cm (52 in × 43 in) |
Location | Vatican Museums, Vatican |
Rest on the Flight into Egypt is an oil on canvas painting by Italian painter Federico Barocci, created c. 1573. It is held in the Pinacoteca Vaticana.[1]
The painting depicts an episode from the early life of Jesus, the Rest on the Flight into Egypt, a usual subject in Catholic art. The scene is shown from a simple and familiar point of view so as to invite devotion among the faithful. In the center, the Virgin Mary, who is seated, draws water. Behind her, Joseph holds out a branch with a few cherries from a tree to Jesus. The straw hat, the flask, the food bag and the donkey, at the right, contribute to create an atmosphere of intimacy. The presence of cherries, however, are a symbol prefiguring the Passion of Christ.[2][3]