L'Enrolement des Troupes (The Enlistment of the Troupes), from La Vie de Ferdinand Ier de Médicis série appelée aussi Les Batailles des Médicis (The Life of Ferdinand I de'Medici also called The Medici Battles) [second of two supernumary plates]

Art Historical Context

This engraving, created between 1614 and 1620 by Jacques Callot in collaboration with Matteo Rosselli, captures a pivotal moment from the life of Ferdinand I de’ Medici. Part of the celebrated series known as *The Medici Battles*, the print depicts the enlistment of troops, reflecting the Grand Duke’s efforts to strengthen Tuscany’s military presence during a period of regional power struggles and Mediterranean conflicts. The work was produced for the Medici court in Florence, where both artists contributed to visual celebrations of ducal authority. Callot’s masterful engraving technique shines through in the precise rendering of figures, armor, and architectural details across the crowded scene. As one of the leading printmakers of the early Baroque era, he excelled at conveying the energy and scale of military life within a modest sheet measuring roughly 9¾ by 13 inches. The fine lines and tonal gradations typical of engraving allowed viewers to appreciate both the grandeur of the event and the individual stories of the soldiers. Today in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, this print offers a vivid window into seventeenth-century European court culture and the evolving art of printmaking as a means of documenting history.

About the Artist

Jacques Callot|Matteo Rosselli · 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...