The Return of the Holy Family from Egypt 

Nicolas Poussin made this painting, The Return of the Holy Family from Egypt, sometime in the 17th century with oil paint on canvas. Poussin was a master of composition, carefully arranging figures and setting to convey a sense of classical order. This painting would have begun with the time-honored practice of stretching and priming the canvas, creating a smooth surface for the application of paint. The pigments themselves were ground and mixed with oil, a labor-intensive process in Poussin’s time, before industrialization. Each layer of paint was carefully applied, building up the image with subtle gradations of tone and color. Look at the details like the folds of Mary's robe, the weathered face of Joseph, or the tender embrace of the children. Poussin clearly intended to evoke empathy and reflection. This piece also invites considering what it meant to create a work of this scale, skill, and intention during a period of immense cultural and social change, when painting was increasingly becoming a commodity for the wealthy. Paintings such as this one demonstrate the artist’s own skill, and the economic system that supported his practice.