The Catafalque
1612
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed to plate mark): 26 × 13 cm (10 1/4 × 5 1/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
R.L. Baumfeld Collection
Accession Number
1969.15.282
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
**The Catafalque a delicate etching by the renowned French artist Jacques Callot from 1612, captures somber elegance of a ceremonial funeral bier. Measuring just 26 × 13 cm, this intimate print on laid paper exemplifies Callot's early mastery during his time in Italy, where he honed his skills under the patronage of the Medici court. a pivotal figure in Baroque printmaking, Callot celebrated for his ability to render intricate details in miniature scale, transforming paper into a stage for grand spectacles. Etching, Callot's preferred medium, allowed for unprecedented precision through acid-b...
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...