The Cult of the Demon
probably 1627
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed to plate mark): 6.7 × 5 cm (2 5/8 × 1 15/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1949.5.437
Art Historical Context
Jacques Callot's *The Cult of the Demon likely created around 1627, is a captivating etching on laid paper, measuring just 6.7 × 5 cm—small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. diminutive print exemplifies the French Baroque master's revolutionary etching techniques, where acid bites into a metal plate to produce exquisitely fine lines and intricate details. Callot, a virtuoso printmaker who worked in Italy and France, was for packing vast narratives into tiny formats, making his works both intimate and monumental. Set against the turbulent backdrop of early 17th-century Europe, amid relig...
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...