Narcissus Admiring His Reflection c. 17th century

Curator: Jacques Callot, a master of etching from the early 17th century, gives us "Narcissus Admiring His Reflection". It’s quite small, but powerfully evokes the tragic myth. Editor: Tragic indeed, he seems almost pinned to the earth, contorted. I'm struck by how tactile it feels, you can almost feel the scratch of the etching needle. Curator: Callot's technique is fascinating, isn’t it? He used a harder ground, allowing for finer, more detailed lines. It lends this piece a surprising delicacy. Editor: It's not just delicacy, it's labor. Imagine the hours bent over the plate, the precise control needed to create those textures of water and fabric. Curator: Absolutely. And the way he captures Narcissus's obsession – that self-absorbed gaze. We've all been there, haven't we, lost in our own reflections? Editor: Maybe, but I'm thinking about the copper itself, mined and processed, traded across Europe. This image is as much about material networks as it is about vanity. Curator: True, a beautiful convergence of myth and material. A reminder that even the most ethereal moments are grounded in the physical world. Editor: Precisely. It’s humbling to consider how human stories are interwoven with the earth.