Terugkeer uit Egypte 1743 - 1760

This mezzotint print of the Return from Egypt was created by James Johnson in the early 19th century. The print depicts the Holy Family in their return from exile, a popular subject for European artists since the Renaissance. But what does it mean to represent this scene during the Romantic era? The image appears to be a traditional devotional one, but closer inspection reveals some interesting details. The soft tonal gradations of the mezzotint technique create an intimate and sentimental mood, appealing to the increasingly privatized religious practices of the time. The setting, while nominally Egypt, seems more like a European landscape, reflecting a common tendency to assimilate biblical stories into contemporary European experience. Art historians rely on understanding such cultural codes. By studying the social context of Johnson's era, including religious trends, artistic conventions, and the economics of printmaking, we can better grasp the meanings and functions this image would have had for its original audience.