Le Char de Thétis (The Chariot of Thetis), from Guerre de Beauté (Guerra di Bellezza) (War of Beauty)
Medium
Etching; first state of two (Lieure)
Dimensions
Sheet: 6 5/8 x 9 5/8 in. (16.8 x 24.4 cm) Plate: 5 7/8 x 9 1/16 in. (15 x 23 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Edwin De T. Bechtel, 1957
Accession Number
57.650.351(2)
Art Historical Context
**Le Char de ThétisThe Chariot of The), from *Guerre de BeautéGuerra di Bellezza (War of Beauty) Created in 1616 by the French etcher Jacques Callot in collaboration with Italian designer Giulio Parigi, this etching a fantastical chariot drawn by sea creatures, honoring the mythological sea goddess Thetis. Part of a celebrated series depicting elaborate floats from a lavish Florentine tournament, it exemplifies the opulent spectacles of the Medici court under Cosimo II. Measuring just 6 5/8 x 9 5/8 inches, the first-state impression (as catalogued by Lieure) preserves Callot's intricate det...
About the Artist
Jacques Callot|Giulio Parigi · 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...