Who painted The Rest on the Flight into Egypt?

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt was painted by Maarten van Heemskerck in c. 1530.

Where can I see The Rest on the Flight into Egypt?

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Rest on the Flight into Egypt?

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt is associated with Mannerism.

Can I buy a print of The Rest on the Flight into Egypt?

Museum-quality prints of The Rest on the Flight into Egypt are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt by Maarten van Heemskerck (c. 1530)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As a work of religious art, the subject focuses on the moment of pause and respite experienced by Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus while fleeing persecution.

The painting depicts the biblical episode of the Holy Family resting during their flight into Egypt. As a work of religious art, the subject focuses on the moment of pause and respite experienced by Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus while fleeing persecution. The scene illustrates the narrative of the Flight into Egypt, emphasizing the vulnerability and humanity of the divine figures as they seek shelter.

This depiction aligns with the traditional iconography of the Rest on the Flight into Egypt, a common theme in religious art that highlights the journey's hardships and the family's reliance on divine protection.

Technique & Style

Maerten van Heemskerck executed The Rest on the Flight into Egypt in 1530 using oil paint applied to a wooden panel support. The work measures 57.7 cm in height and 74.7 cm in width. Classified as a religious painting, the piece falls within the artist's mid-career production.

The physical integrity of the panel and the condition of the oil layers are not detailed in the available records, though the work has been preserved through multiple private collections before entering the National Gallery of Art.

History & Provenance

Created in 1530 by Maerten van Heemskerck, this oil-on-panel painting depicts a religious scene. The work was originally owned by Heinrich Wilhelm Campe of Leipzig (1770–1862) and subsequently passed to his grandson, Heinrich Vieweg of Braunschweig (1826–1890). Following Vieweg's death, the painting was sold at Rudolph Lepke's Kunst-Auctions-Haus in Berlin on March 18, 1930, where it was incorrectly cataloged as a work by Jan van Scorel.

It was acquired by Mary Harriet Robertson Howard and Dr. Anton von Riedemann of Meggen, Switzerland, whose heirs retained the piece until at least 1947. The painting later entered the inventory of Frederick Mont in New York before being purchased by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation on January 30, 1952. It was finally gifted to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1961.

The painting is held at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection. It was acquired by the gallery in 1961 as a gift from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, following the foundation's purchase of the work in New York on January 30, 1952. Prior to entering the Kress collection, the artwork was exhibited in 1945 as part of the _Meisterwerke holländischer Malerei_ show at the Kunstmuseum Basel.

Legacy

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt by Maerten van Heemskerck, painted in 1530, came to prominence through a series of high‑profile ownership changes and public display. After passing from the Campe and Vieweg families to a sale in Berlin (1930) and later to Swiss owners, the work was exhibited in the 1945 Basel exhibition Meisterwerke holländischer Malerei, drawing scholarly attention. Its acquisition by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in 1952 and donation to the National Gallery of Art in 1961 placed it within a major American collection of Northern Renaissance art, underscoring its recognized artistic and historical significance.

The painting’s inclusion in catalogues and museum inventories reflects its enduring reputation as a key example of 16th‑century religious imagery.

Overview

Maerten van Heemskerck's painting, The Rest on the Flight into Egypt, created around 1530, is an oil on panel work. It portrays a moment from the biblical narrative where the Holy Family pauses during their escape to Egypt. The composition centers on the Virgin Mary and Christ Child, set against a detailed landscape, characteristic of the period's religious art.

The Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist, Giulio Romano

Artist & collection

Artist

Maarten van Heemskerck

Maarten van Heemskerck (born Maerten Jacobsz van Veen; 1 June 1498 – 1 October 1574), also known as Marten Jacobsz Heemskerk van Veen, was a Dutch portrait and religious painter, who spent most of his career in Haarlem.