Rest on the Flight into Egypt

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints Drawings collection, *Rest on the Flight into* is a delicate engraving by Aegidiuseler II, created around 1590. This Flemish artist, part of the renowned Sadeler family of engravers active in Antwerp and Prague, a tender biblical moment: the Virgin Mary, infant Jesus, and Saint Joseph pausing during their perilous escape from King Herod's massacre of the innocents.eler's work reflects the Mannerist elegance of late 16th-century Northern Europe with its graceful figures and intricate details evoking quiet devotion amid exile. Printed on luxurious ivory laid paper (plate: 21.4 × 16.1 cm), the engraving showcases Sadeler's mastery of the intaglio technique. He incised fine lines into a copper plate, inking the grooves to transfer rich tonal contrasts and textures onto paper—allowing precise reproduction of paintings by masters like Titian or Veronese. This method democratized high art, making sacred scenes accessible beyond elite patrons during the Counter-Reformation's push for visual piety. Sadeler's print not only highlights technical virtuosity but also the era's cultural fervor for religious imagery, blending Flemish precision with imperial Habsburg tastes. A gem for print enthusiasts, it invites you to trace the Holy Family's serene respite, frozen in etched elegance.

About the Artist

Aegidius Sadeler, II · 1570–1629

Aegidius Sadeler II was born in Antwerp around 1570 into the most distinguished printmaking dynasty of the sixteenth century. The Sadeler family — spanning Jan I, Raphael, and Aegidius I — dominated the European print trade from their Flemish base, and Aegidius II was trained by his uncle Jan Sadeler I, under whom he was listed as a pupil in the records of the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke in 1585. He...