Le Bûcher (The Pyre), from Les Misères et les Mal-Heures de la Guerre (The Miseries and Misfortunes of War), plate 13
Medium
Etching; first state of three (Lieure)
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 5/8 x 7 3/4 in. (9.2 x 19.7 cm) Plate: 3 1/4 x 7 3/8 in. (8.2 x 18.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1952
Accession Number
52.522.3
Art Historical Context
In the harrowing series *Les Misères et les-Heures de la Guerre (The Miseries and Misfortunes of War), in 1633, Jacques Callot captures the brutal realities of the Thirty Years' War ravaging Europe. Plate 13, *Le Bûcher (The Pyre)*, depicts grim scene of execution by fire, likely soldiers or civilians consigned to flames amid the chaos of the Lorraine campaign. Published by Israël Henriet, this etching reflects Callot's firsthand observations of the French invasion of his homeland, transforming personal trauma into a powerful anti-war statement that influenced generations of artists. Callot's...
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...