Joseph Heintz (1564–1609)
Studies for the Flight into Egypt
c. 1595
Black, red, and traces of white chalk
Samuel Courtauld Trust: Witt Bequest, 1952
This fluently drawn study of the Holy Family fleeing from persecution is an example of the vibrant draftsmanship of Swiss-born Joseph Heintz. One of the leading artists at the court of Emperor Rudolph II in Prague, Heintz also spent many years in Italy. The mix of red and black chalk, used here to great coloristic effect, is characteristic of Italian art around 1600.