The Rest during the Flight into Egypt was executed between 1655 and 1660 and is one of Jacques Jordaens’ later works. The theme was already popular in the late Middle Ages. Influenced by the Jesuits and the Counter Reformation, a new dimension was added to the traditional representation, as is evident in Jacques Jordaens’ painting. Cherubs dart through the air above the heads of Mary, Joseph and Jesus. One of them offers Jesus an apple, referring to his future role as the Redeemer of original sin. Another cherub holds a laurel wreath over Joseph’s head. In this way the Holy Family represents an ‘earthly trinity’. Joseph’s attribute is the flowering staff he holds in his hand. God commanded a dry stick to flower, indicating that Joseph had been chosen to be Mary’s husband. The increasing significance of Joseph dates back to the sixteenth century. In the gospels of Matthew and Luke all we are told about Joseph is that he was a carpenter by profession. Representations of Joseph as an old man derive from popular belief and apocryphal texts. Here too we see him as a tired old man who is full of concern about the fate of the Mother and Child.
| Artist |
Jacob Jordaens
RKD
VIAF
Wikidata
|
|---|---|
| Title | The Rest on the Flight into Egypt |
| Date | ca. 1655 - ca. 1660 |
| Period | 17th century |
| Collection | paintings AAT |
| Object type | oil paintings (visual works) AAT |
| Inventory number | 1914-CQ |
| Acquisition credit |
bequest
Scribe, Fernand Ghent 1913 |
| Current whereabouts | Work on display |
| Permalink | https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/1914-CQ |
| IIIF Manifest | https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/651/manifest.json |
| Art & Architecture Thesaurus | 300055874 religious symbolism AAT |
|---|---|
| Keywords Iconclass |
11D
Christ
Iconclass
11F the Virgin Mary Iconclass 11H(JOSEPH) the foster-father of Christ, Joseph of Nazareth, husband of Mary; possible attributes: flowering rod or wand, lily, carpenter's tools Iconclass 25G21(APPLE) fruits: apple Iconclass 25G3 trees Iconclass 25G4111(+1) garland, wreath (+ plants used symbolically) Iconclass 41D221(HAT) head-gear: hat Iconclass 73 New Testament Iconclass 73B birth and youth of Christ Iconclass 73B65 rest on the flight into Egypt Iconclass 92D1916 cupids: 'amores', 'amoretti', 'putti' Iconclass |
| School / Style | Baroque AAT |
| Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent : Catalogus schilderkunst ; Deel I: 14de - 18de eeuw ; Deel II: 19de - 20ste eeuw / Robert Hoozee, Johan De Smet, Bruno Fornari, Ruth Monteyne. - Gent : Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, 2007 (dl. I, p. 114-115 (ill.)) |
| Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent : De collectie (tentoonstelling vanaf 21 maart 2021) / Johan De Smet, Bart Ooghe, Frederica Van Dam, Lieven Van Den Abeele, Cathérine Verleysen. - Gent : Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, 2021 |
| Musée des Beaux-Arts de Gand : La Collection (exposition dès le 21 mars 2021) / Johan De Smet, Bart Ooghe, Frederica Van Dam, Lieven Van Den Abeele, Cathérine Verleysen. - Gand : Musée des Beaux-Arts de Gand, 2021 |
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