The Rest on the Flight into Egypt

These rather monumental figures, the daylight palette, and the happy temper are all characteristic of Sebastiano Ricci’s mature style. To judge from its small size and brusque handling, this was a preparatory study for a larger work. Ricci almost invariably prepared such studies, and often more than one, for his major projects. While this project has not been identified, the lozenge shape and surrounding blank areas of canvas —both original—suggest that the final work would have been inserted in a wall and probably surrounded by stucco work.