Lot 1563 Dα

Girardet studied at the Academy in Paris under Jean-Léon Gérôme, who encouraged Girardet's interest in the Orient. Although the artist also painted French landscapes and genre scenes, his oeuvre is dominated by Oriental motifs which he was able to study during numerous trips to North Africa. In this work, the artist has set the Christian motif of the flight into Egypt - primarily recognisable due to the Christ Child's halo - in an evening desert landscape. His realist style, which has been described as "pleasantly balanced", is characterised by the skilfull use of light.