Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-94-209
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Simone Cantarini's *Rest on the Flight into Egypt* (ca. 1640) captures a tender moment from the biblical narrative in the Gospel of Matthew, where the Holy Family pauses during their perilous escape from King Herod's massacre of the innocents. This Italian Baroque artist, born in Pesaro (1612–1648), trained under Guido Reni and became renowned for his elegant, emotive religious scenes, blending classical grace with dramatic intensity characteristic of the Bolognese school. As a print from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection—gifted by Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt—this work exemplifies...