A detailed 1747 engraving by François Vivares after Claude Lorrain, depicting a serene, classical pastoral scene of the Flight into Egypt.

This fine art print is an etching and engraving by François Vivares, executed in 1747. It reproduces a painting by the French master Claude Lorrain, which was held in the collection of the Reverend Dr. Newton during the eighteenth century. The composition follows the conventions of the classical pastoral tradition, where human figures are secondary to the expansive, structured environment. In the foreground, the Holy Family travels on a donkey, moving towards the left. A small bridge crosses a stream on the right, where a figure leads cattle. The scene is framed by heavy, dark foliage and rocky outcrops, which create a natural proscenium arch. This framing device draws the eye towards the distant, sun-drenched horizon, where rolling hills and a small settlement are rendered with atmospheric perspective. The play of light and shadow is managed through precise cross-hatching and varied line weights, characteristic of Vivares's technical skill as an engraver. Vivares was a significant figure in the development of British printmaking, having moved to London in the 1720s. His work helped popularise the idealised, serene views of the Italian countryside that were highly sought after by collectors during the Grand Tour era. The print captures the quiet, meditative quality of Lorrain's original work, balancing the narrative elements of the biblical journey with the rigorous geometry of the natural world. The inclusion of the original publication details at the base of the print provides a clear provenance, linking this specific impression to the mid-eighteenth-century market for reproductive engravings. This piece offers a window into the period's appreciation for classical composition and the technical mastery required to translate oil painting into the monochromatic medium of print.