17th Century: Original Jacques Callot engravings

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Jacques Callot (1592-1632) was one of the earliest great creative artists to practice the graphic arts exclusively. His career can be divided into two periods: an Italian period, c. 1609-1621, and a Lorraine period from 1621 until his death. Callot studied the technique of engraving under Phillipe Thomasin in Rome. About 1612 he joined Guilio Parigi in Florence. At that time Medici patronage expended itself almost exclusively on "feste," and both Parigi and Callot were employed by Cosimo II (de Medici) to create visual records of these entertainments. Callots compositions are organized as if they were a stage setting and reduced the figures to a tiny scale, each one being rendered by the fewest possible strokes. This required an extremely fine etching technique. Callot enjoyed a lasting popularity all over Europe. He returned to Nancy after Cosimo*s death in 1621. During the Lorraine period Callot illustrated sacred books, made a series of plates of the Apostles, and visited Paris to make animated maps of the sieges of La Rochelle and the Ile de RČ. Callot was one of the first etchers to used the technique of repeated biting, and sometimes combined graver work with etching

THE DEADLY SINS

Complete series of seven plates depicting representing the deadly sins;
The series may have been executed after Callot's return in Nancy, or while he was still in Florence;
some of the figures are indeed reminiscent of the demons in the temptation of St Anthony he engraved during his stay in the Italian city.

Reference: Lieure 354-360 ( II / IV and I / II )
Early  states before publishers addresses and numbers added in later states but with the signature I.Callot on Superbia.
The states before the signature of I.Callot is mentioned R.R.R. by Lieure (extremely rare)

Important valuable work, you will hardly find a complete series in this quality and this early state even in Museum collections.

Guaranteed original Callot                 Guaranteed early impressions     Etching with some engraving.

Les sept peches capitaux The complete series of 7 in early state

L.354 ( II / IV )
Pride: female figure, elegantly dressed, walking to right and looking into a mirror; demon hovering over her; peacock at her feet, on the right; on white ground. c.1618/25. 

L.355 ( I / II )
Anger: male figure in classical armour, with shield and sword, arms outstretched; with demon hovering over, and lion at his feet; on white ground. c.1618/25.

L.356 ( I / II )
Envy: female figure with hair ending up in snakes, and with snake coiled around right arm, walking to right whilst eating an apple; with demon hovering over, and dog preceding her; on white ground. c.1618/25.
L.357 ( I / II )
Avarice: old female figure, turned to right, holding a bag of coins and looking at one through spectacles; with demon hovering over, and toad and riches at his feet; on white ground. c.1618/25.		 L.358 ( I / II )
Gluttony: female figure walking to left and holding a goblet in right hand and a wine bottle in left hand; with demon hovering over, and boar at her feet; on white ground. c.1618/25
L.359 ( I / II )
Lust: nude female figure wrapped in drapery, standing with a bird perched on her right hand; with demon hovering over, and goat at her feet; on white ground. c.1618/25.		 L.360 ( I / II ) 
Sloth: female figure, seated beside a donkey, and sleeping; a demon hovering over her, and another seated on the right; on white ground. c.1618/25.

click on the thumbnails to see a larger image
 

 

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