Jacques Callot's etching, “The Nailing to the Cross”, c1619

Jacques Callot (1592–1635) (as inscribed on plate)

also attributed (by Mariette) to Israel Silvestre (aka Israel Sylvestre) (1621–1691)

“The Nailing to the Cross” (NGA title), c1619–24, from the series of seven plates, “La Grande Passion”.

Note: the curator of the British Museum offers the following insights about the series, “La Grande Passion”, in which this print features:

“The compositions were probably designed in Florence and engraved over several years, from 1619 to 1624, with the likely help of his workshop on some of the plates.

The set was meant to include more than just seven plates: there are 13 preparatory drawings, plus the Last Supper, which has been engraved but for which no sketch has been found.”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1560019&partId=1&searchText=1861%2c0713.40&page=1)

Etching with engraving on fine laid paper trimmed at the image borderline and backed on a support sheet.

Size: (sheet trimmed with thread margins around the image borderline) 10.2 x 22.1 cm

Inscribed on plate at lower right corner: “Callot In”

I am unable to determine the state of this print beyond being a lifetime impression (based on the crisp quality of the line showing no sign of wear to the plate), because the text lines of the first state and the plate number “7” of the second state have been trimmed off. Nevertheless, the retention of the horizontal lines in the sky at the upper right corner suggest that this impression is from the first state as these lines are not strong in the second state (based on comparision with the second state impression held by the BM [see No. 1872,1012.3456]).

Meaume 1860 17 (Édouard Meaume 1860, “Recherches sur la vie et les ouvrages de Jacques Callot”, Paris); Lieure 1927 287 (Jules Lieure 1924–7, “Jacques Callot, catalogue de son oeuvre gravé', Editions de la Gazette des Beaux-Arts, Paris).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Crucifixion: two men nailing Christ on the cross and three others digging a hole for the cross; many figures attending the scene …”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1560116&partId=1&searchText=callot+crucifixion&page=1)

See also the description of this print at the Rijksmuseum:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.40072

Condition: richly inked and well-printed early impression, trimmed with thread margins around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet has numerous restored losses that are virtually invisible.

I am selling this visually arresting view of the crucifixion hallmarked with Callot’s interest in panaoramically long formats and executed with his famous etching needle that he developed called the “échoppe” allowing him to make swelling lines, for AU$310 (currently US$223.20/EUR196.08/GBP176.92 at the time of posting this print) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this strong impression of a very rare print, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold