Martyrdom of Saint John the Evangelist, from the series 'The little apostles' (Les petits apôtres)
ca. 1632
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 4 5/16 x 3 1/4 in. (10.9 x 8.2 cm) Plate: 2 11/16 x 1 11/16 in. (6.9 x 4.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.264.6
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled within Jacques Callot's enchanting series *Les petits apôtres* (The Apostles), this etching depicts the *Martyrdom of Saint the Evangelist* around 1632. Callot, a masterful French Baroque printmaker, crafted these diminutive works—measuring just 2 11/16 x 1 11/16 inches on the plate—to evoke intimate devotion. Published by Israël Henriet, the series the apostles as youthful figures, blending tender innocence with dramatic tales of faith, a creative twist on traditional hagiography during the Counter-Reformation era. Etching's precision shines here, as Callot's innovative techniques al...
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...