Gaston de Bourbon (border, lower center) c. 17th century

Curator: This is Jacques Callot’s “Gaston de Bourbon (border, lower center),” currently housed in the Harvard Art Museums. What strikes you first? Editor: It feels so precise, but also turbulent. Like a tightly controlled explosion, doesn't it? There's a certain dark energy here. Curator: Callot was a master printmaker, of course. The etching process allowed for this incredible detail, but think about the social context. We’re looking at depictions of power, status, military might… all commodities in 17th-century France. Editor: Yes, but it's also a little sad, isn't it? All this ornamentation, the flags, the armor... it's like a beautiful cage. Curator: Indeed. Consider the economics behind such display, the labor involved in producing these symbols of authority. Editor: I see the border as a frame for the soul, the portrait is trapped. Curator: A provocative insight! Editor: Thanks, it was interesting to see Callot's work through this new lens. Curator: And for me, to consider the personal within the political in Callot's practice.