Flight Into Egypt

Name/Title

Flight Into Egypt

Entry/Object ID

5052

Description

Description from 'The Magazine Antiques", December 1940(38): "The image is of Joseph leading an ass, on which sits the Virgin holding the Christ child. All are surrounded by shepherds and shepherdess. In the horizon Herod's soldiers are seen executing the decree to kill all of Israel's firstborn. The Tapestry almost exactly resembles one in the Bavarian State Collection by Heinrich Göbel. The Tapestry has Gothic naivete and the composition reveals almost no Renaissance influence."

Artwork Details

Medium

Tapestry, wool

Context

By the 15th century, the Flemish city of Tournai was highly sought after and known for their production of tapestries. Most, such as the one pictured here, depicted biblical scenes and were made to hang above altars. This scene is of the “Flight into Egypt,” the biblical story of when Joseph and Mary took baby Jesus to Egypt for safety from Herod.

Acquisition

Notes

Collection of DePaul University, gift of Joseph B. Murray

Made/Created

Artist

Unknown (Tournai)

Date made

circa 1520

Ethnography

Notes

France Europe, France

Lexicon

Legacy Lexicon

Object Name

Tapestry

Class

DECORATIVE ARTS

Dimensions

Dimension Description

overall

Width

386.08 cm

Length

304.8 cm

Dimension Description

overall