The Flight into Egypt

Art Historical Context

"The Flight into Egypt," engraved by Hendrik Goudt in 1613 after a composition by Adam Elsheimer, captures the biblical story of the Holy Family’s escape to safety. This reproductive print translates Elsheimer’s intimate, luminous vision into a widely accessible format, allowing viewers across Europe to experience the dramatic nocturnal scene even if they could never see the original painting. As an engraving on laid paper, the work highlights the important role of printmaking in the early seventeenth century. Skilled burin work translates delicate lines and tonal contrasts onto the sheet, preserving subtle effects of light and atmosphere that made Elsheimer’s small-scale works so influential. Such prints helped spread new approaches to landscape and lighting that would shape later Baroque artists. Measuring roughly 34.5 by 39.5 centimeters, this impression now resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, a gift that continues to introduce museum visitors to the collaborative spirit of artistic reproduction in the seventeenth century.