Mountainous landscape with the Flight to Egypt

In this dramatic and richly detailed landscape, Roelant Savery depicts the biblical flight to Egypt as an almost hidden event in an overwhelming natural setting. The Holy Family is depicted small, at the bottom right of the painting, amid a rugged mountainous environment full of rock formations, winding trees and a rushing waterfall. Their journey seems almost insignificant compared to the monumental power of the landscape.

Savery's composition is vertical and dynamic: steep rock faces dominate the image, while the light subtly breaks through the clouds and the central mountain in the distance evokes a sense of depth and mystery. Nature is not merely a backdrop, but an active player – wild, unpredictable, and at the same time breathtakingly beautiful.

Characteristic of Savery is his attention to detail: every tree, every animal, every rock is rendered with care. At the top right we see a deer, on the left a group of birds in the sky, and scattered across the canvas are traces of life – an echo of creation itself. The Flight into Egypt thus becomes not only a religious story, but also a meditation on the relationship between man, nature, and divine providence.

Oil on canvas, 44,5 x 37cm