The Flight into Egypt

The Flight into Egypt is a seminal drawing by the celebrated French Baroque master Claude Lorrain (Claude Gellée), who spent the majority of his prolific career working in Rome during the 17th century. This specific work exemplifies Lorrain's exceptional technical mastery in draftsmanship and his profound influence on classical landscape tradition.

The drawing was executed with a complex blend of media: pen and brown ink outlining the forms, enhanced by brush and brown wash to define shadow and volume. Lorrain further refined the atmospheric effect by heightening the scene with strategic accents of white and yellow pigment, creating a powerful contrast that simulates light filtering through the trees. The narrative centers on the biblical journey, featuring key Human Figures-the Holy Family-amidst a rugged, natural environment. Mary, often mounted on a Horse or donkey, leads the procession, while the dramatic rendering of the surrounding ancient Trees dominates the composition, establishing a mood of both vastness and sanctuary. The subtle presence of Birds further animates the idealized classical setting.

This preparatory study highlights Lorrain’s focus on structuring light and space, techniques that would profoundly impact subsequent landscape painters. The work resides within the extensive collection of drawings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a crucial example of Baroque draughtsmanship, the piece is frequently studied by scholars. Due to the historical nature of the subject and artist, high-quality prints and digital reproductions of major works by Lorrain, including those related to themes like The Flight into Egypt, are widely accessible through institutional archives and the public domain.