Frontispiece, from Les Misères et les Mal-Heures de la Guerre (The Miseries and Misfortunes of War), plate 1

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's and Prints department, where Jacques Callot's *Frontispiece, from Les Misères et les Mal-Heures de la Guerre* (Theeries and Misfortunes War), plate 1, stands as a powerful testament to 17th-century turmoil. Created in 1633 amid the Thirty Years' War, this etching captures the raw devastation of conflict in the Lorraine region, where Callot himself witnessed French mercenaries ravaging his homeland. As the introductory plate to an 18-part series, it sets a grim tone for the horrors of pillage, starvation, and execution that defined the era's brutal warfare. Callot, a master of Baroque printmaking, revolutionized etching with his innovative use of multiple biting techniques, enabling extraordinary detail in crowded compositions—here, on a modest plate of just 3 9/16 x 7 1/2 inches. This third state, per the Lieure catalog, represents the final, refined version, published with Israël Henriet's involvement. The series' unflinching realism influenced later war artists like Goya, making it a pioneering anti-war statement in visual art. Bequeathed by Edwin De T. Bechtel in 1957, this intimate yet monumental work invites reflection on war's enduring human cost, blending technical virtuosity with profound moral urgency.

About the Artist

Jacques Callot|Israël Henriet · 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...