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Melchior Broederlam, Flight inro Egypt
Detail from the Dijon Altarpiece
Flemish, 1393-1399
Dijon, Musee des Beaux-Arts
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Warned by an angel about Herod's intended Massacre of the Innocents, the baby boys of Bethlehem, under the age of two, " Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt." (Matthew 2:14)
In my first article, The Holy Refugees, I looked at the "simple" iconography of the story. These "simple" images show Mary, usually seated on a donkey, holding the Child while Joseph walks ahead of her, leading the donkey, or follows. Sometimes they are joined by an angel who shows them to way or simply adores the Child. Other persons, passersby, other travelers, or simple observers may also appear.
But there are other ways of portraying the story. These form the variations. Among the various variations of the story are images that focus on some of the apocryphal stories that had grown up around the infancy of Jesus to fill in the "gaps" in the Biblical accounts, scenes from those Biblical accounts of incidents from the Infancy Narratives and other pious ways of reflecting on the life of Jesus and his Mother.
The Miracle Stories
The miracle stories were introduced as the result of pious legends that sprang up around the story as related in the Gospels.
The Wheat Field
Among these is the story of the miraculous field of wheat, which sprang up instantly to a height sufficient to hide the Holy Family from Herod’s pursuing troops.
The Wheat Field
Among these is the story of the miraculous field of wheat, which sprang up instantly to a height sufficient to hide the Holy Family from Herod’s pursuing troops.
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| Jean Bandol, The Miracle of the Wheat Field from Grande Bible Historial Completee French (Paris), 1371-1372 The Hague, Moormeno-Westreenianum Museum MS MMW 10 B 23, fol. 467r |
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| Miracle of the Wheat Field from Hours of Louis of Savoy French (Savoy), c.1445-1450 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 9473, fol. 58v |
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| Jean Colombe, Miracle of the Wheat Field from Vita Jesu Christi by Ludolph of Saxony French (Bourges), 1475-1500 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 177, fol. 45 |
The Palm Tree
Another story held that a palm tree bent down its crown of leaves so that Joseph would have an easier time collecting its dates as food.
The Falling Statues
A third miracle concerns the statues of the Egyptian gods, the idols, which were said to have toppled from their pedestals as soon as the Child Jesus had crossed the Egyptian frontier. Since the artists of the Middle Ages (and well into the eighteenth century) had never seen a statue of any of the Egyptian gods, their images of this event are true works of the imagination.
Another story held that a palm tree bent down its crown of leaves so that Joseph would have an easier time collecting its dates as food.
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| Master of the Roman de Fauvel, Miracle of the Palm Tree from Speculum historiale of Vincentius Bellovacensis French (Paris), 1333-1334 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 316, fol. 307 |
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| Miracle of the Palm Tree Spanish, c.1490-1510 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Ludwig Juppe, Miracle of the Palm Tree German, 1510-1520 Uerzell, Schloss Uerzeller, Chapel |
The Falling Statues
A third miracle concerns the statues of the Egyptian gods, the idols, which were said to have toppled from their pedestals as soon as the Child Jesus had crossed the Egyptian frontier. Since the artists of the Middle Ages (and well into the eighteenth century) had never seen a statue of any of the Egyptian gods, their images of this event are true works of the imagination.
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| Fall of the Egyptian Idols from De Lisle Psalter English (London), c.1310 London, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Arundel 83, fol. 124 |
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| Jacquemart de Hesdin, Fall of the Egyptian Idols from Petites heures de Jean de Berry French (Bourges), 1385-1390 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 18014, fol. 45v |
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| Master of the Roman de Fauvel, Fall of the Egyptian Idols from Speculum historiale of Vincentius Bellovacensis French (Paris), 1333-1334 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 316, fol. 307v |
The Image of the Flight with Other Infancy Scenes
Images of the Flight into Egypt are often part of a larger image which may contain one or more other scenes from the infancy narratives of the Gospels. Therefore, it may be combined with images of the Adoration of the Magi, the Presentation in the Temple or the Massacre of the Innocents. At the beginning of the Middle Ages the scene of the Flight and the combined scene chosen by the artist had equal weight in the composition. But, towards the end of the period, the portion of the composition devoted to the Flight was reduced in size as the associated scene became larger. Eventually, the image of the Flight became a tiny scene relegated to the background of the associated scene, receding farther and farther into the distance.
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| Ingelard, Fight into Egypt and Adoration of the Magi from Generationum regnorumque laterculus bedanus French (Paris, Abby of St. Germain), c.1050 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 12117, fol. 108 |
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| Flight into Egypt and Massacre of the Innocents from the Winchester Psalter Anglo-Norman, mid-12th-2nd half of 13th Centuries London, British Library MS Cotton Nero C IV, fol. 14r |
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| Flight into Egypt and Presentation in the Temple French, 1063 Moissac, Abbey of St. Pierre |
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| Flight into Egypt and Massacre of the Innocents from Psalter of St. Louis and Blanche of Castille French (Paris), ca. 1225 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Arsenal 1186. fol. 19v |
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| Flight into Egypt and Massacre of the Innocents from a Psalter French (Paris), 1228-1234 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M153, fol. 17r |
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| Massacre of the Innocents and Flight into Egypt English, c.1310 Croughton (Northamptonshire), Parish Church (now Protestant) |
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| Massacre of the Innocents and Flight into Egypt German, 1370 Haufeld (Thuringia), Church of Saint Christopher (now Protestant) |
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| Melchior Broederlam, the Dijon Altarpiece Depicting the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple and the Flight into Egypt Flemish, 1393-1399 Dijon, Musee des Beaux-Arts |
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| Master of Marguerite of Orleans, Flight into Egypt and Massacre of the Innocents from Hours of Marguerite d'Orleans French (Rennes), c.1430 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 1156 B, fol. 102 |
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| Flight into Egypt with Fall of the Egyptian Idols and Massacre of the Innocents from a Book of Hours French (Paris), c.1460-1470 London, British Library MS Egerton 2045, fol. 106 |
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| Robinet Testard, Flight into Egypt with Fall of the Egyptian Idols and Massacre of the Innocents from a Book of Hours French (Poitiers), 1470-1480 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M1001, fol. 57r |
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| Massacre of the Innocents and Flight into Egypt from Speculum animae Spanish (Valencia), late 15th Century Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Espagnol 544, fol. 8 |
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| Jean Poyer, Massacre of the Innocents and Flight into Egypt from Hours of Henry VIII French (Tours), 1495-1505 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS H8, fol.69v |
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| Jacques de Besancon, Massacre of the Innocents and Flight into Egypt from Legenda Aurea by Jacobus de Voragine French (Paris), 1480-1490 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 244, fol. 27bisv |
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| The Massacre of the Innocents and the Miracle of the Wheat Field from a Book of Hours French (Paris), 1495-1505 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS H5, fol. 69r |
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| Master of James IV of Scotland, Massacre of the Innocents, Flight into Egypt and Rest on the Flight into Egypt from the Spinola Hours Flemish (Bruges), c.1510-1520_ Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum MS Ludwig IX 18, fol. 140v |
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| Ludovico Mazzolino, Massacre of the Innocents, with the Adoration of the Magi and the Flight into Egypt Italian, 1510-1530 Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum |
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| Giovanni Angelo del Maino, Massacre of the Innocents and Flight into Egypt Italian, c.1520 Boston, Museum of Fine Arts |
Landscapes with the Flight into Egypt
An outstanding early example is the beautiful painting of the Flight into Egypt by the as yet anonymous Boucicaut Master in the Book of Hours of Marechal de Boucicaut from which his name is derived. In it we see the Holy Family, accompanied by angels, traversing a fairytale landscape of woods, lakes and hills, crowned by a rising sun.
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| Boucicaut Master, Flight into Egypt from Hours of Marechal de Boucicaut French (Paris), 1405-1408 Paris, Musee Jacquemart-Andre MS 2, fol. 90v |
It took several decades before other artists were able to match this beautiful work of art.
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| Jean Colombe, Flight into Egypt from a Book of Hours French (Bourges), c.1480-1490 Cologne, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum Inventory # 1984-3 |
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| Jean Bourdichon, Flight into Egypt from Grandes Heures d'Anne de Bretagne French (Tours), 1503-1508 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 9474, fol. 76v |
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| Titian, Flight into Egypt Italian, 1508 St. Petersburg, State Hermitage Museum |
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| Vittore Carpaccio, Flight into Egypt Italian, c.1515 Washington, National Gallery of Art |
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| Simon Bening, Flight into Egypt from Prayer Book of Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg Flemish (Bruges), c.1525-1530 Cologne, Schnuetgen-Museum MS Ludwig 2 vol. 2, fol. 47v |
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| Herri Met de Bles, Flight into Egypt Flemish, c.1530 La Fere, Musee Jeanne d'Aboville |
As the painting of landscape developed, however, the proportion of landscape to figure changed, until the landscape became the dominant element and the figures became small and frequently so small as to be swallowed up by the landscape. In some paintings they become very small indeed and actually need to be hunted down to locate. This movement was begun by the early Flemish landscape painters and then picked up by the Italian Late Renaissance and Baroque painters.
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| Joachim Patinir, Landscape with Flight into Egypt Flemish, 1516-1517 Antwerp, Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten |
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| Herri Met de Bles, Landscape with Flight into Egypt Flemish, c.1540 St. Petersburg, State Hermitage Museum |
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| Joachim Beuckleaer, Flight into Egypt Flemish, 1560s Antwerp, Rockox House |
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| Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Landscape with the Flight into Egypt Dutch, 1563 London, Courtauld Gallery |
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| Marten van Valckenborch, Flight into Egypt (February) Flemish, c.1580-1590 Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum |
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| Tintoretto, Flight into Egypt Italian, 1582-1587 Venice, Scuola Grande di San Rocco |
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| Paul Brill, Landscape with Flight into Egypt Flemish, c.1600 St. Petersburg, State Hermitage Museum |
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| Annibale Carracci, Landscape with Flight into Egypt Italian, 1603 Rome, Galleria Doria Pamphili |
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| Jan Brueghel I, Edge of the Forest - Flight into Egypt Flemish, 1610 St. Petersburg, State Hermitage Museum |
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| Domenichino, Landscape with Flight into Egypt Italian, c.1620-1623 Paris, Musee du Louvre |
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| Joos de Momper, Winter Landscape with the Flight into Egypt Flemish, c.1620-1630 Private Collection |
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| Roelandt Savery, Landscape with Flight into Egypt Flemish, 1624 Washington, National Gallery of Art |
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| Claude Lorrain, Landscape with the Flight into Egypt French, c.1635 Indianapolis, Indianapolis Museum of Art |
The tradition of putting the Flight into a realistic landscape continued throughout the seventeenth century. It seems to have faded out during the eighteenth century but was revived in the nineteenth and continued right into the twentieth century. However, with the nineteenth-century revival the relative proportions of landscape to figure became more balanced. That is, the figures again began to dominate, since, after all, a story is being told.
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| Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, Flight into Egypt French, 1840 Rosny-sur-Seine, Parish Church |
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| james Tissot, Flight into Egypt French, 1886-1894 New York, Brooklyn Museum |
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| Jean Leon Gerome, Flight into Egypt French, 1897 Vesoul, Musee Georges-Garret |
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| Georges Rouault, Flight into Egypt French, 1946 Paris, Centre national d'art et de culture Georges-Pompidou |
As artists became interested in showing the effects of light on vision, especially showing these effects in darkness, they seized on the description of the Flight in St. Matthew's Gospel, which says that " Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt." (Matthew 2:14). So, beginning in the early seventeenth century they began to attempt to portray the night time scene of the Holy Family fleeing in the dark, or resting somewhere during the night.
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| Guise Master, Flight into Egypt from Hours of Charlotte of Savoy French (Paris), 1415-1430 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M1004, fol. 54r
Not entirely a night effect painting, this early work attempts to capture the colors of the sky at dawn or dusk. |
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| Adam Elsheimer, Flight into Egypt German, 1609 Munich. Alte Pinakothek
Elsheimer was one of the pioneers of painting night effects. In this picture he presents a nighttime scene with several sources of illumination: a campfire, a lantern, the moon shining on water and the Milky Way. |
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| Peter Paul Rubens, Flight into Egypt Flemish, 1614 Kassel, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Schloss Wilhelshoehe Gemaeldegalerie
Rubens painting presents both natural and supernatural light sources. Light shines from the Holy Child as well as from the moon. |
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| Johann Wilhelm Baur, Flight into Egypt German, c.1620-1640 Paris, Musee du Louvre
Like Elsheimer, Baur has three light sources: the campfire, a torch held by Joseph and the moon reflecting on water. |
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| Rembrandt, Landscape with Rest on the Flight into Egypt Dutch, 1647 Dublin, National Gallery of Ireland In this scene Rembrandt imagines the effects of the campfire reflected in water and the moon emerging from clouds. |
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| Bernard Fuckerad, Flight into Egypt German, Before 1662 Cologne, Church of the Assumption
In Fuckerad's composition the light emanates from a torch held by an angel. The crescent moon seen through a gap in the trees contributes little illuminaton. |
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| Jose Moreno, Flight into Egypt Spanish, 1670 Madrid, Museo del Prado
In this picture the light source comes from outside the picture space. |
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| Henri Joseph Harpignies, Flight into Egypt French, 1840-1860 Beauvais, MUDO, Musee de l'Oise
In Harpignies painting the Holy Family travels through a landscape brightly lit by the unseen moon. |
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| Odilon Redon, Flight into Egypt French, c.1890-1910 Paris, Musee d'Orsay
Redon shows us a scene in which the illumination is mainly supernatural, emanating from the Holy Family. |
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| Henry Ossawa Tanner, Flight into Egypt American, 1923 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art
In Tanner's image the light source is the lantern held by St. Joseph.
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© M. Duffy, 2017
- Massacre of the Innocents at http://imaginemdei.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-holy-innocents-nearly-forgotten.html
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