S. Bertin, abbé (St. Bertinus, Abbot), September 5th, from "Les Images De Tous Les Saincts et Saintes de L'Année" (Images of All of the Saints and Religious Events of the Year)

Art Historical Context

This delicate etching, *S. Bertin, abbé (St. Bert, Abbot), September th*, comes from Jacques Callot's renowned series *"Les Images De Tous Lescts et Saintes de'Année"* ( of All the Saints and Religious Events of the), published in 1636 by Israëlet. Callot, a masterful French Baroque printmaker, created this vast calendar of saints to aid personal devotion during the Counter-Reformation era, when visual aids for prayer proliferated among the faithful. Printed in the second state of two (as catalogued by Lieure), it captures St. Bertin, the 7th-century abbot revered for founding monasteries in northern France, on his feast day. Measuring just 2 9/16 x 1 15/16 inches, the print exemplifies Callot's virtuosic etching technique, employing fine, intricate lines to convey spiritual intensity in miniature scale. These portable images were ideal for private altars or prayer books, blending artistry with piety. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (purchased via the Joseph Pulitzer Bequest in 1917), it highlights how 17th-century prints democratized religious iconography, making hagiographic stories accessible to everyday devotees.

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...