Vue du Louvre (View of the Louvre), from "Les Deux Grandes Vues de Paris" (The Two Large Views of Paris)
ca. 1630
Medium
Etching; fourth state of five (Lieure)
Dimensions
Sheet: 6 11/16 x 13 11/16 in. (17 x 34.8 cm) Plate: 6 7/16 x 13 3/8 in. (16.3 x 34 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Grace M. Pugh, 1985
Accession Number
1986.1180.346
Tags
Art Historical Context
Jacques Callot's *Vue du Louvre (View of the Louvre)*, created around 1630, captures a panoramic vista of Paris along the Seine River as part of his rare series *Les Deux Grandesues de Paris*. This, in its fourth state of five as catalogued by Lieure, the Louvre palace—then evolving from a medieval fortress into a grand Renaissance residence under Louis XIII—with its towers rising amid a lively scene of boats dotting the water and the city's bridges bustling with activity. Callot, a master Baroque printmaker from Lorraine, was renowned for his intricate depictions of urban life, festivals, and...
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...