Triumph of the Virgin c. 17th century

Curator: This print, "Triumph of the Virgin," was created by Jacques Callot. Its exact date isn't known, but Callot lived from 1592 to 1635. Editor: It feels like a swirling dream, or perhaps a politically charged theatre. The sheer number of figures, all meticulously etched, is quite overwhelming. Curator: Callot, a master of etching, uses a bird's-eye perspective to portray the Virgin Mary's procession. Note how the figures below her seem to represent earthly powers bowing before divine authority. Editor: Yes, the fallen dragon and discarded crown at the bottom certainly suggest a power dynamic. But it is interesting how the Virgin Mary and the religious figures are being elevated, signaling an important ideological function of the art. Curator: Precisely. The Triumph acts as a strong visual statement of Catholic authority. The symbols are all carefully constructed to project power and elicit awe. Editor: It really makes you consider the place of religious display in public life back then. Curator: Indeed, and how that visual language still resonates today.