Vlucht naar Egypte 1591

Pieter Perret created this print, "Flight into Egypt," in the late 16th or early 17th century. As an engraving, the artwork is made by cutting lines into a metal plate, applying ink, and then pressing paper against the plate to transfer the image. The dense mesh of tiny cuts gives the print a remarkable sense of depth and texture. Notice the hatching that describes Joseph’s voluminous cloak, the folds of Mary’s dress, and the craggy rock formations. Prints like this one were essentially commercial products, made in multiples and distributed widely. The labor invested in cutting the plate was repaid over and over as the prints were sold. In its time, this image would have been relatively accessible, bringing devotional imagery into the homes of ordinary people. Thinking about this print in terms of its making helps us appreciate it not only as a work of art, but as a potent artifact of its time.