s2e25 History of Prints Jacques Callot (part one)

Platemark: prints and the printmaking ecosystem

In s2e25, hosts Ann Shafer and Tru Ludwig take an in-depth look at Jacques Callot, who is the first printmaker in Western art to record the atrocities of war. He heads up any list of artists using prints to spread news far and wide about societal ills through visual means. He created some 1,400 prints in his career (no paintings !) and made some of the most remarkable and smallest prints ever. This is a first half of a longer conversation. Stay tuned for part two.

Episode image: [DETAIL] Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). The Fan, 1619. Etching and engraving. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 44.3 x 33.9 cm. (17 3/8 x 13 3/8 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Peter Paul Rubens’ portraits of Marie de’ Medici (1622–24) in the Richelieu wing of the Louvre. By Ivo Jansch - Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7920324

Francisco Goya (Spanish, 1746–1828). Saturn Devouring His Son, c. 1819–23. Mixed media mural transferred to canvas. 143.5 x 81.4 cm. (56 ½ x 32 in.). Museum del Prado, Madrid.

Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641). Jacobus Callot, c. late 1600s–early 1700s. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed within platemark): 23.5 x 16.2 cm (9 ¼ x 6 3/8 in.). Masterworks Fine Art, Palo Alto, CA.

Christoffel Jegher (Flemish, 1596–1652/53) after Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640). Hercules Triumphant over Discord, 1633–34. Woodcut. Sheet: 23 3/4 x 14 7/16 in. (60.33 x 36.67 cm.). Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis.

Niccolò della Casa (French, active Italy, c. 1543–48). Portrait of Cosimo de' Medici in full armor, 1544. Engraving. Sheet: 17 1/8 in. × 12 in. (435 × 305 mm.); plate: 16 13/16 × 11 9/16 in. (427 × 294 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Laocoön and His Sons, c. 200 BCE–70 CE. Marble. 208 × 163 × 112 cm. (6’ 10 » × 5’ 4 » × 3’ 8 »). Vatican Museums, Vatican City.

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640). The Garden of Love, 1630–35. Oil on canvas. 199 x 286 cm. Museo del Prado, Madrid.

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640). The Consequences of War, 1637–38. Oil on canvas mounted to panel. 206 x 342 cm. (81 x 134 ½ in.). Palazzo Pitti, Florence.

Sir Anthony van Dyck (Flemish, 1599–1641). Lucas Vorsterman, from the series Iconography, 1628–32. Etching and engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark): 9 5/8 × 6 3/16 in. (24.4 × 15.7 cm). Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Compare engraving and etching

Eschoppe tool with ovoid tip. Photo: London Fine Art Studio.

Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). The Fan, 1619. Etching and engraving. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 44.3 x 33.9 cm. (17 3/8 x 13 3/8 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

[DETAIL] Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). The Fan, 1619. Etching and engraving. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 44.3 x 33.9 cm. (17 3/8 x 13 3/8 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

[DETAIL] Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). The Fan, 1619. Etching and engraving. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 44.3 x 33.9 cm. (17 3/8 x 13 3/8 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

[DETAIL] Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). The Fan, 1619. Etching and engraving. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 44.3 x 33.9 cm. (17 3/8 x 13 3/8 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

ZOOM IN https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.51537.html

[DETAIL] Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669). Presentation in the Temple, c. 1640. Etching and drypoint. Sheet: 218 × 296 mm. (8 9/16 × 11 5/8 in.); plate: 213 × 290 mm. (8 3/8 × 11 7/16 in.). Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). Noble Coats of Arms, c. 1612–35. Etching. Sheet: 302 x 227 mm. (11 9/10 x 8 9/10 in. Artsy.

Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). The Fair at Impruneta, after 1619. Etching. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 418 x 670 mm. Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

[DETAIL] Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). The Fair at Impruneta, after 1619. Etching. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 418 x 670 mm. Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

[DETAIL] Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). The Fair at Impruneta, after 1619. Etching. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 418 x 670 mm. Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

[DETAIL] Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). The Fair at Impruneta, after 1619. Etching. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 418 x 670 mm. Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

[DETAIL] Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). The Fair at Impruneta, after 1619. Etching. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 418 x 670 mm. Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606–1669). The Three Trees, 1643. Etching, engraving, and drypoint. Plate: 8 3/8 x 10 15/16 in. (21.3 x 27.8 cm.); sheet: 8 3/8 x 11 1/8 in. (21.3 x 28.3 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). Varie figure gobbi, c. 1621–25. Series of 21 etchings. Plate (each): 2 3/8 x 3 3/8 in. (6 x 8.5 cm.). Stanza del Borgo.

Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). Title page from Varie figure gobbi, c. 1621–25. Etching. Plate: 2 3/8 x 3 3/8 in. (6 x 8.5 cm.); sheet: 3 1/16 x 4 1/8 in. (7.7 x 10.4 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). Small Male Figure in feathered cap with upraised hand holding cup from Varie figure gobbi, c. 1621–25. Etching. Plate: 2 3/8 x 3 3/8 in. (6 x 8.5 cm.); sheet: 3 1/16 x 4 1/8 in. (7.7 x 10.4 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Jacques Callot (French, 1592–1635). Small Male Figure in feathered hat with walking stick from Varie figure gobbi, c. 1621–25. Etching. Plate: 2 1/2 x 3 3/8 in. (6.3 x 8.5 cm.); sheet: 3 3/4 x 5 3/8 in. (9.6 x 13.7 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.