Annibale carracci the flight into egypt

When the frescoes of Annibale Carracci on the ceiling of the Galleria Farnese were unveiled on June 2, 1601, one of those present was Pietro Aldobrandini, Clement VIII's nephew and Secretary of State.

This is probably what led to a relationship between the cardinal and the Emilian painter, resulting in the former commissioning a painting entitled Domine quo vadis? (now in the National Gallery in London) from the artist the following year.

He also asked him to decorate, between 1603 and 1604, six lunettes in his private chapel.

Annibale carracci the flight into egypt

This no longer exists, but at the time was located in what is today the private entrance to the apartment of Palazzo Doria Pamphilj al Corso. An old plan shows that it had three entrances and six walls of different sizes, two large, two middle-sized, and two small, on which the six lunettes were placed.

The Flight into Egypt, one of the two biggest, was probably located on the wall in front of the altar, to the right of the entrance that led into what is now