St. Mederic, Abbot; Beheading of John the Baptist; St. Fiacre; Festival of the Belt of the Virgin
c. 1632/1635
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 21 × 12.3 cm (8 1/4 × 4 13/16 in.) sheet: 24.7 × 14.2 cm (9 3/4 × 5 9/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
R.L. Baumfeld Collection
Accession Number
1969.15.717
Art Historical Context
Jacques Callot's *St. Mederic, Abbot Beheading of John the; St. Fiacre; Festival of the Belt of the Virgin* (c. 1632/1635) is a etching that captures multiple religious vignettes in a compact 21 × 12.3 cm plate. The renowned French Baroque printmaker, active across Europe, deftly combines scenes of saintly devotion—honoring St. Mederic, theheading of John the Baptist healer St. Fiacre a miraculous festival tied to the Virgin Mary's belt relic in Prato, Italy. This work reflects the Counter-Reformation's fervor, blending hagiography with dramatic biblical narrative to inspire faith among 17th-c...
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...