Le Marché de la Place de L'Annonciade a Florence (The Market in the Piazza della Annunziata in Florence), from Les Caprices Series B, The Nancy Set
Medium
Etching; first state of two (Lieure)
Dimensions
Sheet: 7 5/16 x 10 1/4 in. (18.5 x 26 cm) Plate: 2 1/16 x 3 1/8 in. (5.3 x 7.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Edwin De T. Bechtel, 1957
Accession Number
57.650.300(48)
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant bustle of 17th-century Florence with Jacques Callot's *Le Marché de la Place de L'Annonciade a Florence* (The Market in the Piazza della Annunata in Florence), part of his *Les Caprices Series B The Nancy Set* (1617–20). This etching captures the lively of one of Florence's most iconic squares, framed by the grand Santissima Annunziata and Medici palaces. Callot, a masterful French printmaker who worked at the Medici court, immortalizes vendors, shoppers, and everyday folk amid stalls overflowing with goods, offering a vivid snapshot of Renaissance urban life transitioning into the Baroque era. Rendered in etching's first state of two (as cataloged by Lieure), the print showcases Callot's revolutionary technique: thousands of intricate lines etched with a fine needle create astonishing depth and detail on a modest plate (just 2 1/16 x 3 1/8 inches). This small-scale format, part of his whimsical *Caprices* series, allowed wide dissemination of his observational genius, blending realism with playful exaggeration. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (bequest of Edwin De T. Bechtel, 1957), this gem highlights Callot's role in elevating printmaking to fine art, influencing generations with its documentary precision and cultural flair. Imagine the aromas of fresh produce and chatter echoing through the piazza—Callot brings it all to life on paper!
About the Artist
Jacques Callot|Lorenzo de' Medici · 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...