The Virgin of Sorrows: The Flight into Egypt; one of nine surrounding compartments from the Virgin of Sorrows, now separated 1520 - 1582

Curator: Here we have an engraving, one of nine originally surrounding a central image of the Virgin of Sorrows, now separated. This one is titled “The Flight into Egypt” and was created sometime between 1520 and 1582 by Giorgio Ghisi. Editor: Wow, it's striking how intimate the scene feels, despite being so formally rendered. There’s something so poignant about the figures huddled together against that stark landscape. Almost feels claustrophobic. Curator: It’s a masterful piece. Ghisi really captures the vulnerability and resilience of the Holy Family as they journey into exile. Look at the intricate details of their garments, the folds, and how they contrast with the relative simplicity of the background. It gives them a sense of weight and reality. Editor: Right! And Joseph has this weary but determined expression. The burden of protector weighs heavy, doesn’t it? All that crosshatching…almost makes it seem he is struggling under the sun. And Mary… Her tenderness is amazing! It almost transcends what is represented. What is really highlighted by that Madonna image is universal Motherhood. Curator: The symbolic weight here is immense. The flight into Egypt represents refuge, hope amidst persecution, the continuity of faith in the face of adversity. Ghisi distills centuries of religious narrative into this small space. We can see it in that one barren tree; it calls us back to Eden even. Editor: Makes me think about modern day refugees... that eternal search for a safe harbor. Art like this creates a powerful echo through time, you know? We still understand their plight, those desperate journeys toward hope. I can relate! Curator: Exactly, it transcends its historical context. Ghisi tapped into something timeless about the human condition. Even now, that is powerful and has endured centuries later! Editor: A quiet testament, then, that sometimes the greatest art whispers rather than shouts. Something as small as that little image of the Madonna traveling has so much humanity! Curator: Yes. Indeed.