Martyrdom of Saint Stephen
1607-1611
Medium
engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet ([irreg.] trimmed to plate mark): 11.7 × 7.9 cm (4 5/8 × 3 1/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
R.L. Baumfeld Collection
Accession Number
1969.15.266
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Martyrdom of Saint Stephen*, a poignant engraving by master printmaker Jacques Callot, faithfully reproducing a design by the pioneering Italian artist Lavinia Fontana. Created between 1607 and 1611, this intimate work on laid paper measures just 11.7 × 7.9 cm, capturing the dramatic stoning of the first Christian martyr as described in the Acts of the Apostles. Saint Stephen, eyes lifted heavenward in visionary ecstasy amid his tormentors, embodies unwavering faith amid persecution—a theme resonant in early 17th-century Catholic Europe. Callot, a leading figure in the Baroque era...