Lorrain’s Rest on the Flight to Egypt

Rest on the Flight from Egypt (c.1640) Claude Lorrain. Lorrain is known as one of the first purely landscape painters of Baroque era. Lorrain wasn't interested in painting things exactly as they exist in front of him, he preferred to improve upon what was naturally possible to create an idyllic scene. Like many Baroque artists, Lorrain explored the use of light, though his approach was far more subtle and atmospheric than the dramatic contrasts favored by Caravaggio. Lorrain hides the sun behind the trees and masterfully depicts the subtle effects of light filtering through foliage. The narrative takes a back seat in the overall composition, but we can see angels feeding baby Jesus while Mary looks on and Joseph is disengaged, looking at some papers.