Le Couronnement D'Épines (The Crowning with Thorns), from La Grande Passion (The Large Passion)
ca. 1619–24
Medium
Etching and engraving; first state of four (Lieure)
Dimensions
Sheet: 7 5/16 x 10 1/2 in. (18.5 x 26.6 cm) Plate: 4 5/16 x 8 7/16 in. (10.9 x 21.4 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
57.650.383
Art Historical Context
Step into the dramatic world of Jacques Callot *Le Couronnement D'Éines (The Crowning with Thorns)*, a poignant etching and engraving from renowned series *La Grande PassionThe Large Passion)*, created around 1619–24. This first-state impression captures the biblical moment when Christ is mocked and crowned with thorns by Roman soldiers, rendered with Callot's signature intensity. Part of a 12-print cycle depicting the Passion of Christ, it reflects the deep religious fervor of the early 17th century, amid the Counter-Reformation's emphasis on vivid, emotive imagery to inspire devotion. Callo...
About the Artist
Jacques Callot · 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...