The Rest on the Flight into Egypt (recto)
1880
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1880
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see Mary, baby Jesus, and Joseph resting in the Egyptian desert at night. A giant stone sphinx cradles them like a chair, its paws curled around the sleeping pair. Most paintings of this Bible story show a quiet camp. Merson flips the script—here, the sphinx isn’t a monster but a guardian, its ancient face lit by moonlight. The fire is nearly out, yet everyone sleeps safe. If you like this quiet twist on old stories, look up sfumato.
![The Rest on the Flight into Egypt (recto); Sketch of a Sphinx [?] (verso)](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/25f9a663b49091e6/thumb.webp)
![Sketch of a Sphinx [?] (verso)](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/01aae5545d384a57/thumb.webp)
