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The Return of the Holy Family to Nazareth
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When King Herod learned that he would lose his throne to a child born in Bethlehem, he ordered all male infants to be massacred. Mary and Joseph thus fled to Egypt to protect their son, Jesus. The age of the boy in this painting suggests that Poussin depicted the less-common subject of the Holy Family’s return from Egypt. Jesus reaches toward a vision of a cross borne by angels, a reference to both his eventual crucifixion and Herod’s cruel slaughter of innocent children.
| Artist / Maker | Nicolas Poussin |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1627 |
| Culture / Origin | France |
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | Framed: 159.5 x 124 x 14.5 cm (62 13/16 x 48 13/16 x 5 11/16 in.); Unframed: 134 x 99 cm (52 3/4 x 39 in.) |
| Department | European Painting and Sculpture |
| Type | Painting |
About the Artist
BiographyNicolas Poussin (1594–1665) — French painter (1594-1665).Nicolas Poussin worked as painter, graphic artist, architectural drafter and visual artist and is associated with Kingdom of France and France. Their documented life spans the years 1594 to 1665, born in Les Andelys, died in Rome. Their work is linked to Classicism.Disciplinespainter, graphic artist, architectural drafter, visual artistBorn1594, Les AndelysDied1665, RomeNationalityKingdom of France, FranceMovementClassicismSources: Wikidata · Wikipedia Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
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