Saint Victoria c. 17th century

Curator: This is Jacques Callot's "Saint Victoria," a small print, part of a series. Editor: It’s striking how the dense cross-hatching creates such depth, like light itself is material. Curator: Callot was a master printmaker. He refined etching techniques, which allowed for finer lines and greater detail. This piece was likely produced for devotional purposes, perhaps distributed by a religious order. Editor: The architecture feels very much of its time. Do we know what printmaking house produced the work? "Israel ex." is printed at the bottom; this helps tell the story of this work's fabrication, circulation, and market value. Curator: Indeed, that’s his publisher. The act of creating, distributing, and owning such a print speaks volumes. These images shaped religious thought and social consciousness in early modern Europe. Editor: It’s fascinating how such a small, mass-produced object could carry such cultural weight. It gives me a lot to consider about accessibility and how art history is formed.