St. Job, Prophet; St. Gangulphus; St. Epiphanius; St. Mary of Martyrs
c. 1632/1635
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 21.3 × 12.2 cm (8 3/8 × 4 13/16 in.) sheet: 25 × 15 cm (9 13/16 × 5 7/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
R.L. Baumfeld Collection
Accession Number
1969.15.681
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Jacques Callot's *St. Job, Prophet St. Gangulphus; St. Epiphanius; St. Mary ofrs* (c. 1632/1635) is a masterful etching on laid paper, measuring a compact plate size of 213 × 12.2 cm. This French Baroque printmaker, renowned for his intricate detail and technical innovation, captures four lesser-known saints in a single composition, likely part of a series. Produced during the height of the Counter-Reformation such images served to inspire faith and venerate holy figures amid Europe's religious upheavals. Callot's genius shines in his etching technique, employing multiple acid bites to achiev...
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...