Death of Judas, from the series 'The little apostles' (Les petits apôtres)
ca. 1632
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 4 5/16 x 3 5/16 in. (11 x 8.4 cm) Plate: 2 13/16 x 1 3/4 in. (7.1 x 4.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.264.15
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the intricate etching *Death of Judas, from series 'The little apostles' (Les petitsôtres)*, created around 1632 by master printmaker Jacques Callot with publisher Israël Henriet, visitors encounter a dramatic biblical scene rendered in miniature scale. Part of Callot's renowned series of tiny etchings depicting apostles and key New Testament moments, this work captures Judas Iscariot's suicide by hanging, a poignant symbol of betrayal and remorse following his betrayal of Jesus. Measuring just 2 13/16 x 1 3/4 inches on the plate, these "little apostles" showcase Callot's virtuosity in comp...
About the Artist
Jacques Callot|Israël Henriet · 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...