16th Plate, from Trattato delle Piante & Immagini de Sacri Edifizi di Terra Santa (Treatise of the Plans & Images of the Sacred Buildings of the Holy Land)

Art Historical Context

This intricate etching and engraving, titled *16th Plate* from Bernardino Amico's *Trattato delle Piante & Immagini de Sacri Edifizi di Terra Santa* (Treatise of the Plans & Images of the Sacred Buildings of the Holy Land), dates to 1620. Crafted by master etcher Jacques Callot in collaboration with Franciscan friar Bernardino Amico and engraver Pietro Cecconcelli, this first-state impression (measuring 8 x 11 5/16 inches) exemplifies early 17th-century printmaking's precision. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it vividly depicts a sacred architectural site, blending detailed plans and elevations. Amico's treatise, born from his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, served as a vital visual record for European audiences barred from travel by conflict and distance. Published in Rome, it fueled Counter-Reformation devotion and scholarly interest in biblical topography, making these plates essential references for pilgrims, architects, and theologians. Callot's etching technique, combined with engraving, produced crisp lines and subtle textures that convey stonework and spatial depth with remarkable fidelity. As a bequest from Edwin De T. Bechtel in 1957, this print highlights how collaborative prints democratized sacred knowledge, bridging art, faith, and exploration in the Baroque era.

About the Artist

Jacques Callot|Bernardino Amico|Pietro Cecconcelli · 1592–1635

Jacques Callot (1592–1635) was a French printmaker and draftsman from the Duchy of Lorraine, widely regarded as one of the first great artists to practice the graphic arts exclusively. His more than 1,400 etchings chronicled the breadth of 17th-century life, from Medici court festivities to the brutal realities of warfare. Callot revolutionized etching through technical innovations including the é...