Saint Agnellus c. 17th century

Curator: This is Jacques Callot’s "Saint Agnellus," a small etching held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels stark, almost like a woodcut. The saint has such a simple, direct gaze. Curator: Callot, a master of printmaking, situates Agnellus within complex political and religious tensions of his time. Note the siege taking place in the background. Editor: Right! It's so dramatic. The saint looks almost indifferent to the chaos. A peaceful defiance? Curator: Perhaps. Saints in art often served as models for behavior, offering paradigms of faith during conflict. Callot made this image, it would have influenced societal conceptions of sanctity and power. Editor: It's interesting how he balances the intimate portrait with this sense of grand historical narrative, all in such a tiny space. Like a microcosm, really. Curator: Indeed. It allows us to consider how individual identity is often shaped by larger historical forces. Editor: Gives you a lot to think about, doesn't it? Curator: Precisely.