The Rest on the Flight into Egypt

Painted by the Ferrarese master Ippolito Scarsella, known as Lo Scarsellino, this intimately scaled Rest on the Flight into Egypt is executed with great delicacy. Another work, slightly larger in scale and of nearly identical composition (except for the inclusion of the Infant Saint John the Baptist), was last sold at Christie’s, London, 14 December 1984, lot 50. Maria Angela Novelli dates both works to the early 17th century, though she notes that the present painting appears to be the later of the two (loc. cit.).