Les Troupes Forcent la Porte d'une Ville (The Troops Force Their Way Through the Gate of a City), 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)

Art Historical Context

Step into the turbulent world of early 17th-century Europe with *Les Troupes For la Porte d'une Ville (The Troops Force Their Through the Gate of a), a dynamic engraving from the series * Vie de Ferdinand Ier deicis*, also known as *The Medici Battles*. Created between 1614 and 1620, this first-state impression—rarer and more pristine than later versions—was a collaboration between master engraver Jacques Callot and designer Matteo Rosselli. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, measures a compact 8 13/16 x 11 3/4 inches, perfect for intimate study of its intricate details. The print glorifies Ferdinand I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (r. 1587–1609), by depicting a fierce siege where troops breach a city gate, evoking the military prowess and dynastic ambitions of the powerful Medici family. Produced shortly after Ferdinand's death, the series served as Medici propaganda, immortalizing their conquests amid the Italian Wars' aftermath. Callot, a Baroque innovator from Lorraine, excelled in capturing chaotic energy—soldiers clashing, ladders scaling walls—with Rosselli's painterly designs lending vivid Tuscan flair. Callot's etching technique shines here: fine lines and cross-hatching create depth, motion, and drama on a small scale, influencing printmaking for generations. As a first state (per Lieure catalog), it preserves the purest artistic intent, offering visitors a window into Renaissance patronage and the artistry of war glorified.

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...