The Two Crowns
1628
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed to plate mark): 6.3 × 8.3 cm (2 1/2 × 3 1/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1949.5.463
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Jacques Callot's *The Two Crowns* (1628) is a masterful etching that exemplifies the French Baroque printmaker's unparalleled skill in capturing intricate detail within a diminutive format. Measuring just 6.3 × 8.3 cm, this intimate work on laid paper invites close viewing, revealing Callot's signature precision. Active in the early 17th century amid upheavals of Europe's religious wars, Callot often infused his prints with social commentary and dramatic narrative, blending technical innovation with poignant observation. Etching, Callot's preferred medium, involved coating a copper plate with...
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...