Massacre of the Innocents c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have Jacques Callot's "Massacre of the Innocents," an etching. It’s tiny, but filled with such terror! What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: The sheer density of Callot's lines! It’s as if the horror itself is pressing in on us, trapping these figures. The way he uses such a small scale to depict such vast violence... it's almost dreamlike, isn't it? Like a nightmare crammed into a thimble. Does it feel that way to you? Editor: It does! I guess the size makes it feel more intense in some ways. Curator: Precisely! And notice how the architecture seems to loom over the scene, dwarfing the figures. It's a chilling commentary on power, wouldn't you say? We’re all just insects scurrying beneath its shadow. Editor: That's a great point! I'll never look at it the same way. Curator: Art, like life, is all about discovering new perspectives, isn't it?