Le Portement de Croix (Jesus Carrying the Cross), from La Petite Passion (The Little Passion)
1624–25
Medium
Etching; first state of two (Lieure)
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 1/16 x 2 5/16 in. (7.8 x 5.8 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
57.650.343(7)
Art Historical Context
Jacques Callot's *Le Portement de CroixJesus Carrying the Cross)* is a poignant etching from his renowned series *La Petite Passion (The Little Passion), between 1624 and 1625. This intimate work captures a dramatic moment from Christ's Passion, showcasing Callot's mastery as a leading French Baroque printmaker. Known for his intricate detail and emotional intensity, Callot produced this series of 36 small etchings to make sacred narratives accessible to a wide audience, reflecting the Counter-Reformation's emphasis on art during a turbulent era of religious strife in Europe. Etched on a dimi...
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...