Although only mentioned briefly in the Bible, the "Flight into Egypt" is rich in legend. According to Matthew, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt!". For King Herod intended to kill all of the children in Bethlehem (Mathew 2,13).
The exhibition shows paintings and graphics related to this flight, ranging from medieval woodcarvings and Dürer's much-cited portrayal of the scene to a series of 24 (!) etchings on the topic by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo. The biblia pauperum at St. Peter's Monastery shows the "Flight", the "Fall of the Idols“, the "Murder of the Innocents" und the "Return from Egypt". Current photographs of refugee camps bring the topicality of the theme to mind.
