PROVENANCE: Baron de Breteuil in the 18th century, Julius Weitzner, New York, 1955; BJU, 1955.

Chiari was the most important student of and collaborator with Carlo Maratta, the dominant Roman artist of the late 17th century. Success for Chiari came early in his career and included a broad base of international patrons. After Maratta died in 1713, Chiari emerged as one of the leading Roman painters. Numerous commissions from Pope Clement XI (Albani) and Chiari's election as the Director of the Academy of St. Luke indicate his position in the artistic hierarchy of Rome. Chiari's style is rooted in the late Baroque Classicism of his teacher, but gains a more sophisticated and highly decorative air that approaches the upcoming Rococo.

This Return from the Flight into Egypt provides a remarkable example of Chiari's work at the height of his artistic powers and fame. The panel is replete with decorative elements, from the playful putti and cherubim to the angels kneeling in adoration. Touches of swirling drapery animate the surface with the brilliant colors that characterize the art of this period. Features like the palm tree, the classical ruin, and the sphinx serve both as guideposts to where the family has stayed and as additional decorative elements. The soft modeling and diffused edges trace the artist's heritage back to Correggio, while the poses of the main figures reflect the style of the artists of the High Renaissance.