Artwork
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Rest on the Flight into Egypt is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Arent de Gelder. It dates from 1696 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition includes Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, with Mary nursing the child while he holds a book, details recorded in the work's iconography.
Arent de Gelder's 1696 oil on canvas, titled Rest on the Flight into Egypt, portrays the Holy Family in a moment of rest during their flight into Egypt. The composition includes Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, with Mary nursing the child while he holds a book, details recorded in the work's iconography. The painting is classified as a religious work and reflects a biblical narrative of the family's journey.
Measuring 109.9 cm by 118.8 cm, it is part of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston collection. Its subject matter and devotional tone are consistent with other religious art of the period.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1696, this work by Arent de Gelder is an oil painting on canvas. The composition depicts the Holy Family during their flight, featuring the Virgin Mary breastfeeding the Christ Child while seated, with Joseph present reading a book. The piece measures 109.9 cm in height and 118.8 cm in width.
As a religious genre piece, it uses traditional oil paints to render the figures and narrative elements associated with the Rest on the Flight into Egypt.
History & Provenance
Rest on the Flight into Egypt is an oil painting on canvas by Arent de Gelder, dated 1696, measuring 109.9 by 118.8 cm. The work is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. No further details regarding an earlier commission, intermediate ownership, or chain of custody prior to its acquisition by the museum are documented in the available sources, and the records do not provide a specific inventory or accession number or exhibition history.
Overview
Arent de Gelder's 1696 oil painting, "Rest on the Flight into Egypt," portrays a tender scene of the Holy Family. This work captures Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child during their biblical journey, emphasizing a moment of quiet repose. As Rembrandt’s final known student, de Gelder extended his teacher’s distinctive late style into the turn of the 18th century, contributing to the rich artistic output of the Dutch Golden Age.
Context
Created in 1696, this painting exemplifies the continued influence of Rembrandt's late manner into the subsequent generation. Arent de Gelder, active from 1645 to 1727, was the last known student to emerge from Rembrandt's workshop, carrying forward his master's distinctive approach to light and narrative. The work is situated within the broader artistic flourishing of the Dutch Golden Age, a period of significant cultural development.
Artist & collection
Artist
Aert de Gelder (Dutch:; October 26, 1645 – August 27, 1727) was a Dutch painter, the only Dutch artist to paint in the tradition of Rembrandt's late style into the 18th century.
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