Assaut de Deux Fortresses (Assault of Two Fortresses), from La Vie de Ferdinand Ier de Médicis série appelée aussi Les Batailles des Médicis (The Life of Ferdinand I de'Medici also called The Medici Battles)
Medium
Engraving; first state of two (Lieure)
Dimensions
Sheet: 7 7/8 x 11 1/2 in. (20 x 29.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.4017
Art Historical Context
This engraving, titled *Assaut de Deux Fortresses*, forms part of Jacques Callot and Matteo Rosselli’s series *The Life of Ferdinand I de’ Medici*, also known as *The Medici Battles*. Created between 1614 and 1620, the print commemorates the military campaigns of the Tuscan grand duke, whose rule strengthened Florence’s naval power and defended its territories. The scene captures the dramatic assault on two fortresses, reflecting the era’s emphasis on celebrating Medici leadership through art that blended history and spectacle. As an engraving—the first of two states—the work showcases Callot...
About the Artist
Jacques Callot|Matteo Rosselli · 1592–1635
Jacques Callot (1592–1635) was a French printmaker and draftsman from the Duchy of Lorraine, widely regarded as one of the first great artists to practice the graphic arts exclusively. His more than 1,400 etchings chronicled the breadth of 17th-century life, from Medici court festivities to the brutal realities of warfare. Callot revolutionized etching through technical innovations including the é...