Jacques Callot, “Le Jeudy Saint”, c.1632/35

Jacques Callot (1592–1635)

“The Last Supper” (aka “Le Jeudy Saint”; “Maundy Thursday”; “Holy Thursday”), c.1632/35, Plate 2 from the series of twelve compositions featuring the variable feast days from the Christian calendar, “Images des Fêtes Mobiles”, published in Paris in 1636 (a year after the death of Callot) by Israël Henriet (c.1590–1661). This impression is the final state of the remarkable evolution of this plate.

I understand that in states i and ii this print was a part of a larger plate consisting of four images in a series of 124 plates with a total of 490 images. In state iii the large plate featuring four images including this one was cut into four small plates. This plate was then grouped as a part of a series of twelve small plates with this print being numbered as second plate/image. By design, the twelve prints represent the variable feast days/holidays in the Christian calendar. Regarding this series, Jules Lieure (1989) advises: (transl.) “The images of the mobile festivals are original etchings, absolutely of the same type as the previous ones, to which they follow. ... the 12 images were... printed separately with a title of the same size engraved for this purpose by Abraham Bosse” (p. 57).

Etching on laid paper trimmed with a narrow margin around the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 10 x 5.7 cm; (platemark) 9.7 x 5.3 cm; (outer image borderline) 9.3 x 5 cm.

Inscribed in plate below the image: (lower left) “J. Callot Inv: et Fec.”; (centre) “Le Jeudy Saint./ Desideriô desider ani hoc Pascha/ manducare vobis cum ante quam pas/ tiar Luc. XXII.15./ J’Ay souhaité avec ardeur de man-/ ger cette Pasque avec vous avant/ que de souffrir.”; (lower right) “2.”

State vi (of vi) with additional work (compare with state v shown by Polona: https://polona2.pl/item/le-jeudy-saint,ODY4NTAzNA/).

Lieure 1285 (Jules Lieure 1927 [revised 1989], “Jacques Callot: Catalogue Raisonné de l’Œuvre Gravé”, vol. 1 [text], San Francisco, Alan Wofsy Fine Arts, pp. 57–59, cat. no. 1285).

Condition: a strong impression still retaining the guidelines for the inscription before they were worn away. Beyond a few minor marks, the sheet is in a very good condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains and is laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins.

I am selling this seldom seen final state impression of a plate that has a remarkable history in its evolution, for the total cost of AU$209 (currently US$136.40/EUR125.99/GBP108.03 at the time of this listing) 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 very small etching by one of the major old master printmakers—mindful that Callot developed the échoppe as an etching-needle enabling artists to make swelling lines in etchings similar to those made by engravers—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