The Flight into Egypt, Religious oil painting at Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, France
The Flight into Egypt is an oil-on-canvas painting by Nicolas Poussin. At its centre Mary, barefoot in a white head covering, white mantle and long blue skirt, carries the nude Christ Child and walks toward the left, looking back. Above her an angel in pale blue drapery points left; at the right the bearded Joseph, in an orange tunic and yellow-brown cloak, raises his hand beside a donkey. A reclining figure rests under a tree near white columns at the left.
Nicolas Poussin created this work in 1657 or 1658 when he was an established artist living in Rome. Classical art and architecture in his surroundings shaped his compositional approach at that time.
The subject comes from Matthew 2:13-14: warned of Herod's plan to kill the male infants, Joseph takes Mary and the Christ Child to Egypt. Poussin shows the family walking left, guided by an angel, with a reclining shepherd under a tree and a portico behind. The painting was probably inspired by Annibale Carracci's treatment of the same theme.
The painting is located at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon and was jointly acquired by the Louvre and this museum. Visitors should take time to carefully observe the details of the composition and landscape elements.
The composition separates sacred and earthly space through diagonal arrangement of the figures. Each character is depicted with distinct gestures and expressions that together tell the story of spiritual journey.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,400 contributors worldwide.
