Shrine of the Virgin (Detail. The Flight into Egypt) 1205

This gilded scene of ‘The Flight into Egypt’ by Nicholas of Verdun around 1130, is a symphony of symbols and shared human experiences. Here, the Virgin Mary with the infant Christ, accompanied by Joseph, find refuge on their journey. The donkey, often overlooked, carries not only the Holy Family but also echoes the ancient motif of the animal as a bearer of burdens, a humble servant in divine narratives, much like the sacrificial lamb. Its roots go deep; it is the ancient Greek psychopomp, leading souls to the underworld. The motif of flight, of seeking asylum, is a timeless one. This image resonates with the collective memory of migrations, both forced and voluntary. The image encapsulates a fundamental human urge: the search for safety and a better future for one’s offspring. These symbolic gestures, composed here with such care, awaken within us echoes of ancestral fears and hopes. They speak to a profound, shared understanding of the human condition, where the past continually informs the present.