Christ Walking on Water, Holding the Hand of St. Peter (First Composition), plate 8 from "Les Tableaux de Rome, Les Eglises Jubilaires" (The Paintings of Rome, The Churches Jubilee)

Art Historical Context

Jacques Callot created this delicate engraving around 1607–11 during his formative years in Rome. The scene captures the dramatic biblical moment when Christ reaches out to rescue Saint Peter from the waves, rendered with remarkable clarity in a compact format measuring just under five inches tall. As plate 8 in the series *Les Tableaux de Rome, Les Eglises Jubilaires*, the print belongs to a larger project reproducing devotional paintings from Roman churches associated with the Jubilee celebrations, allowing viewers far from Italy to experience these sacred images. Callot’s engraving technique shines here, with fine, precise lines that convey both the turbulence of the water and the calm authority of Christ’s gesture. Produced in multiple states, this second-state impression demonstrates the artist’s meticulous approach to refining details for greater emotional impact. Such small-scale devotional prints played an important role in early seventeenth-century religious culture, circulating widely and making monumental church art accessible to a broader audience.

About the Artist

Jacques Callot · 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...