Untitled (Flight into Egypt)

Drawn to the epic storytelling possibilities of Christianity, Jamini Roy often depicted Biblical themes in his paintings. Flight into Egypt was one such popular subject and depicts Mary with infant Christ riding a donkey led by Joseph to escape the wrath of King Herod. Roy’s works based on Christianity were similar in language and treatment to those of Indian mythology, or reflections of Santhal music and dance, resulting in an expression that cut through cultural and geographical barriers.