The Flight Into Egypt (1627 - 1703) by Domenico Piola - Public Domain Catholic Painting

The Flight Into Egypt by Domenico Piola is an artwork created by the Genoese painter of the Baroque period, Domenico Piola^[1]. It is a pen, ink and watercolor over chalk painting^[2] that measures 29 x 41.6 cm^[2]. The painting depicts the biblical story of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt^[1].

The Flight into Egypt is a story recounted in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:13–23) and in New Testament apocrypha^[1]. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to flee to Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus since King Herod would seek the child to kill him^[2]. Joseph obeyed the Lord and took Jesus and his mother by night, escaping to Egypt^[3]. The event can be confidently dated to the last years before the death of Herod the Great which is known to have taken place in late March or early April, 4BC^[5].

Domenico Piola (1627 – 8 April 1703) was a Genoese painter of the Baroque period^[1][2]. He was the leading artist in Genoa in the second half of the 17th century, working on ceiling frescoes for many Genoese churches and palaces and canvas paintings for private collectors^[1][2]. His family studio was highly prolific and frequently collaborated with other artists^[1][2][3]. In 1684 Piola began to fresco the choir of S Leonardo and two rooms in the Villa Gropallo at Zerbino, however this work was interrupted after a French bombardment destroyed much of Genoa, including Domenico’s house and studio^[4].