Crowning with Thorns c. 17th century

Curator: Jacques Callot’s "Crowning with Thorns" from the early 17th century, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection, presents a study in the social structures of violence. Editor: It feels so stark, you know? Like a stage play frozen at its most brutal moment. The starkness is enhanced by the architectural rendering, as if violence is legitimized in its very foundations. Curator: Callot was a master printmaker; note the etching technique. The clarity with which he renders the architectural details and the individual figures, despite the small scale, is remarkable. How labor-intensive! Editor: It's almost dreamlike in its clarity, yet horrifying. The figures are so precisely rendered that you can almost feel their suffering. It reminds me of a nightmare you can't shake off. The process and materials elevate the subject. Curator: Indeed. It's a powerful reflection on the rituals of power and the social performance of cruelty. Editor: Exactly! A tiny, terrible jewel, reflecting on the darker corners of the human soul.