Callot figures; two seated dwarf lovers to left, the woman holding a fan, an old dwarf woman, in profile towards the right, standing with a dwarf man with long hair to right, from 'Six grotesques' (Six pièces de figures grotesques)

Art Historical Context

This charming etching from 1684 belongs to the series *Six pièces de figures grotesques*, a playful exploration of whimsical dwarf figures inspired by earlier work of Jacques Callot. Created through the delicate medium of etching, the print captures a lively gathering of small-statured characters: two seated lovers on the left, where the woman gracefully holds a fan, alongside an elderly dwarf woman and a long-haired dwarf man standing in profile to the right. The compact plate size invites close viewing, highlighting the intricate details of costume and gesture that bring these fantastical figures to life. The work reflects the enduring popularity of grotesque imagery in 17th-century European printmaking, where artists blended humor, caricature, and social observation. Multiple hands are associated with the piece—François Collignon, Stefano della Bella, and Agostino Mitelli II—suggesting the collaborative nature of print production during this period. Della Bella, in particular, was known for carrying forward Callot’s lighthearted yet precise style into later decades. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the bequest of Phyllis Massar in 2011, this print offers modern viewers a delightful glimpse into Baroque-era fascination with the unusual and the theatrical.