The Flight into Egypt
1488–91
Medium
Engraving on paper
Dimensions
Image/plate: 25.7 × 17.2 cm (10 1/8 × 6 13/16 in.); Sheet: 26.3 × 17.7 cm (10 3/8 × 7 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
79861
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Martin Schongauer was one of the most prolific early engravers from the Rhine Valley. He signed all his prints with his initials, making him the first printmaker whose authorship was absolutely clear. While a handful of the artist’s paintings survive, Schongauer’s engravings inspired generations of artists, including Albrecht Dürer. This iconic image shows the Holy Family resting while fleeing the Massacre of the Innocents and their home in Israel for Egypt. The work reflects some traditional ac...
About the Artist
Martin Schongauer · 1435–1491
Martin Schongauer, born around 1450–1453 in Colmar, Alsace, emerged from a family of skilled artisans. The third of four or five sons of goldsmith Caspar Schongauer, who had relocated from Augsburg to Colmar around 1440, Martin was immersed in the goldsmith's trade from youth, likely receiving his initial training in his father's workshop—a common path for early engravers. He further honed his ski...