The Flight into Egypt

Matías de Arteaga followed other artists of the time, such as Murillo, who used similar iconography in their depictions of this biblical subject. According to the Gospel of Matthew, the Holy Family fled for Egypt when word got out that Herod wished to kill all newborn babies. In the picture, Arteaga depicted the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus riding on a donkey led by an angel. Joseph walks next to them on foot, while three puttifly overhead.