First Intermezzo of the Veglia of the“Liberation of Tyrsenus and Arnea"
1617, published 1668
Medium
Etching on paper
Dimensions
Image: 28.5 × 19.5 cm (11 1/4 × 7 11/16 in.); Sheet: 31.8 × 24.3 cm (12 9/16 × 9 5/8 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
96185
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Jacques Callot served under Cosimo II de' Medici, the premier patron of arts and entertainment in 17th-century Florence. The ballet Liberation of Tirreno and Arnea was a symbol of opulence, celebrating the 1616 wedding of the Duke of Mantua, Ferdinando Gonzaga, and Cosimo II's sister, Caterina de' Medici. In this scene, heavy drapery is cast aside to reveal the intermezzo, or staged entertainment between acts. The ballet dancers have moved from the stage to the auditorium floor, drawing the Duke...
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...