The Rest on the Flight into Egypt: A Night Piece (reverse copy)
Original title: The Rest on the Flight into Egypt: A Night Piece (reverse copy)
kurzbeschreibung
Francesco Novelli’s etching The Rest on the Flight into Egypt: A Night Scene (Counter-Proof) dates from the late 18th to the mid-19th century. It shows the Holy Family resting during their flight in a nighttime landscape. The print is a drypoint etching, trimmed to 9 × 6 cm.
Description
The faint glow of a lantern draws the eye first, picking out two figures in traditional robes against a dark, tree-lined setting. One of them holds the lantern, and its sparse light lifts the figures and the ground behind them. The arrangement is irregular, with the lantern acting as the main source of light. Graded greys and carefully placed shadows reveal the texture of the clothing and the nature of the surroundings.
Context
The Italian Francesco Novelli worked mainly as a reproductive printmaker. The term “counter-proof” indicates that this is a reversed copy of another work, probably after a painting by Annibale Carracci. Such prints were widely used in the 18th and 19th centuries as devotional images and collectors’ items.
Impact
The weak lantern light in the night calls up a quiet, contemplative mood. Delicate lines and shadows give the image a calm, almost meditative presence. The small format encourages close looking.
Technique
For this etching, the drawing was incised into an etched metal plate and then printed on paper. The grey tones come from the varying depth of the etching and the density of the lines. The sheet is trimmed to 9 × 6 cm, which underscores its compact format.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)