The Flight into Egypt is a significant event recounted in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:13-23). An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, instructing him to flee to Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus to escape King Herod's plan to kill the child.
This biblical episode has been a popular subject in art for centuries, frequently depicted as the final scene of the Nativity of Jesus and a common element in cycles illustrating the Life of the Virgin and the Life of Christ.
Rest on the Flight into Egypt by Gerard David
Biblical and Historical Context
When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem seeking Jesus, they inquired about the newborn "King of the Jews" from Herod the Great. Fearing a threat to his throne, Herod initiated the Massacre of the Innocents in an attempt to eliminate the child.
After Herod's death, the Holy Family returned from Egypt, settling in Galilee upon learning that Archelaus had become the new king in Judah. Matthew 2:15 cites Hosea 11:1 as prophetically fulfilled in their return: "...Out of Egypt I called my son."
Read also: Mary, Joseph, and Jesus's Journey
Scholars have interpreted Matthew's use of Hosea 11:1 in various ways, including sensus plenior and typological readings, linking it to the Exodus where God delivered Israel from slavery.
The historicity of the Flight into Egypt is supported by scholars like W. F. Albright, C. S. Mann, and R. T. France, who note that Egypt was a common refuge for Palestinians fearing government reprisals due to its neighboring location with a sizable Jewish population.
Apocryphal and Coptic Traditions
Numerous stories about the Flight into Egypt were elaborated in New Testament apocrypha. These stories include the family being joined by Salome as Jesus' nurse, as well as accounts of palm trees bowing before Jesus, Jesus taming dragons, the beasts of the desert paying him homage, and an encounter with the two thieves who would later be crucified alongside Jesus.
These stories of the time in Egypt have been especially important to the Coptic Orthodox Church, which is based in Egypt, and throughout Egypt, there are a number of churches and shrines marking places where the family stayed.
According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church tradition, the Holy Family traveled to Ethiopia, where they were welcomed with love and compassion.
Read also: Travel Tips: JFK to Cairo
Presentation at the Temple and Flight by Melchior Broederlam
Artistic Representations
From the 15th century onwards, the subject of the Holy Family resting on their journey, known as the Rest on the Flight into Egypt, became popular, even more so than depictions of the traveling family itself.
These scenes often included apocryphal miracles and provided opportunities for landscape painting. Miracles such as the Miracle of the corn and the Miracle of the idol were commonly depicted.
During the 16th century, the subject became popular as an individual focus for paintings, often with the figures small in a large landscape. German Romantic painters and later artists in the 19th century, treated the subject with an Orientalist perspective.
The meeting of the infant Jesus with his cousin, the infant John the Baptist, in Egypt is another subject taking place after the arrival in Egypt.
Read also: Planning Your Trip: D.C. to Cape Town Flight Duration
A Journey of Faith and Art - The Flight into Egypt
"Flight into Egypt: Black Artists and Ancient Egypt, 1876-Now"
The exhibition Flight into Egypt: Black Artists and Ancient Egypt, 1876-Now examines the engagement of Black artists and other cultural figures with ancient Egypt through various mediums, including visual art, sculpture, literature, music, scholarship, religion, politics, and performance. The exhibition includes approximately 200 works of art.
Thematic sections trace how Black artists have used ancient Egyptian imagery to craft a unifying identity, highlight the contributions of Black scholars to Egyptology, and showcase the engagement of modern and contemporary Egyptian artists with ancient Egypt.
The exhibition also integrates performance art through a dedicated gallery called the “Performance Pyramid,” presenting a documentary history of Black performance art incorporating ancient Egyptian themes and hosting live performances.
Exhibition view of Flight into Egypt: Black Artists and Ancient Egypt, 1876-Now
Key Themes and Artists
- Unifying Identity: Black artists have used ancient Egyptian imagery to create a sense of shared identity and pride.
- Black Scholarship: The exhibition highlights contributions of Black scholars to the study of ancient Egypt.
- Modern Egyptian Artists: Showcases the engagement of contemporary Egyptian artists with their ancient heritage.
Henry Ossawa Tanner's 1923 painting, Flight into Egypt, is a key piece in the exhibition, reflecting the artist's symbolist style and interest in biblical themes. The exhibition includes artists such as Robert Colescott, Fred Wilson, Kara Walker, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Lauren Halsey.
Works in the "Kings and Queens" section trace how artists often seek to transcribe themselves or others into this royal lineage. For example, Henry Taylor’s Michelle (2023) imagines former First Lady Michelle Obama as an Egyptian queen.
The exhibition also touches on the complexities and contradictions inherent in Black identification with the pharaohs, as seen in Aaron Douglas’s Let My People Go (ca. 1935-39), which supports the enslaved Israelites.
Contemporary Egyptian Art
The exhibition includes a section on "Heritage Studies," highlighting the engagement of modern and contemporary Egyptian artists with the pharaonic past. Artists such as Mahmoud Saïd, Mahmoud Mokhtar, Maha Maamoun, Iman Issa, Armia Malak Khalil, and Ghada Amer are featured.
The exhibition also acknowledges the use of ancient Egypt in contemporary Egypt's nationalist and racialist narratives, particularly under the military dictatorship of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
