Le Portement de Croix (Jesus Carrying the Cross), from La Petite Passion (The Little Passion)

Art Historical Context

Jacques Callot's *Le Portement de CroixJesus Carrying the Cross)* is a poignant etching from his renowned series *La Petite Passion (The Little Passion), between 1624 and 1625. This intimate work captures a dramatic moment from Christ's Passion, showcasing Callot's mastery as a leading French Baroque printmaker. Known for his intricate detail and emotional intensity, Callot produced this series of 36 small etchings to make sacred narratives accessible to a wide audience, reflecting the Counter-Reformation's emphasis on art during a turbulent era of religious strife in Europe. Etched on a diminutive sheet measuring just 3 1/16 x 2 5/16 inches (7.8 x 5.8 cm), this first-state impression (per Lieure's catalog) highlights Callot's innovative etching technique. Using a fine needle to incise lines into a metal plate, he achieved extraordinary density of line and texture, packing crowded scenes with expressive figures—soldiers, mourners, and Christ himself—into a tiny format. This "little" passion contrasts with larger works, allowing for affordable, portable piety. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (bequest of Edwin De T. Bechtel, 1957), it exemplifies Callot's influence on printmaking, blending technical virtuosity with profound spiritual resonance, inviting visitors to contemplate faith amid human suffering.

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...