John Martin 1789-1854

Agnew's, London

ENGRAVED:

by the artist, 1838

The work is in very good condition. The sheet has not been laid down, it is attached to the mount at the extreme edges verso. The medium is very strong and clear. Overall the work has been very well preserved.
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When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt (Matthew 2: 14).

In this evocative work John Martin illustrates the escape of the Holy family from the wrath of King Herod. The Flight into Egypt was a theme which Martin returned to on several occasions. Presumably to satisfy the demand from a variety of patrons Martin not only drew this watercolour but it was also widely reproduced three years later in mezzotint. Martin also produced another mezzotint of the same subject with some compositional variations (see Michael J. Campbell, John Martin Visionary Print Maker, 1992, p. 152, no. C.W. 113) These were subsequently followed by the large canvas of The Flight into Egypt, exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1842. (William Feaver, The Art of John Martin, Oxford, 1975, p. 172, no. 129).