S. Pèlerin, éveque et martyr (St. Pelerin, Bishop and Martyr), May 16th, 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

Jacques Callot, one of the most celebrated etchers of the 17th century, created *S. Pèlerin, éveque et martyr (St Pelerin, Bishop and Martyr)* in 1636 as part of his series *Les Images De Tous Saincts et Saintes L'Année*. This tiny etching (just 2½ x 1⅞ inches) captures the saint on his feast day, May 16, in a devotional format designed for calendars or prayer books. Published with Israël Henriet, it the Baroque era's fervor for hagiography, where vivid images of saints inspired faith amid the religious upheavals of the Thirty Years' War. Callot's mastery of etching shines here in the second state of two (per Lieure's catalog), where fine, intricate lines convey St. Pelerin's episcopal robes, martyr's palm, and serene expression with remarkable detail despite the miniature scale. This technique—using acid to bite precise grooves into a copper plate—allowed for mass production of affordable pious art, making saints accessible to the devout across Europe. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (purchased via the Joseph Pulitzer Bequest in 1917), this print exemplifies Callot's blend of technical innovation and spiritual storytelling, bridging art and devotion in an age of profound Catholic revival.

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...