Painted Canvas (imitating Tapestry), "the Flight Into Egypt", 19th Century

- Painted canvas, imitating a tapestry, with the subject of the "Flight into Egypt", a 19th century painting based on an 18th century model

- This painted canvas relates a passage from the Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 2, 13-23) "The flight into Egypt", an event reported by the evangelist with the massacre of the Innocents. "an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and said: Get up, take the young child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. Joseph got up, took the young child and his mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt."

- The painting is carefully composed with in the center, a group of characters who govern the scene. It is Mary dressed in a blue cloak holding the haloed baby Jesus against her, seated on the donkey whose harness guide is held by a cherub who leads the way. The group is accompanied by Joseph and the angel Gabriel whose forward posture and windblown hair put him into action to push the donkey. Two angels in the air holding flowers witness the journey of the Holy Family. All have their eyes fixed on Mary and the baby Jesus. These characters are painted with great precision and finesse. The same is true for the architectural elements and the vegetation. A great delicacy emanates from the flowers painted in the foreground, echoing the tender face of the Virgin. The decor is embellished with rocky elements on the left and ancient ruins on the right; a headless sculpture, the points on the hips, call out.

- This canvas offers a beautiful harmony of light tones juxtaposed with brighter warm (orange, yellow, red) and cold (blue, green) hues. A palette that, just like the delicacy of the drawing, brings softness, comfort and hope to a painful episode. - A border adds to the decorative aspect of the piece by imitating the frame of a painting. The canvas is signed in the lower right "LE CLERC".

- This type of painting on canvas belongs to a production traditionally called "painted tapestries". These are paintings imitating tapestries made on textile canvases. Born as an alternative to tapestry, the painted canvas has many common characteristics such as constituting a monumental decoration whose large dimensions allow the artist to propose a rich and neat composition.

- Good state of conservation, the borders slightly unstitched. This is fixed with a bar.

- Dimensions: Width: 164.5 cm Height: 228 cm