Artwork
Christ among the Doctors

Christ among the Doctors is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1631 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Christ among the Doctors, an etching on laid paper created around 1631 by Jacques Callot, captures a pivotal moment from the Gospel of Luke where a young Jesus debates with Jewish scholars, exemplifying Callot's Baroque-period expertise in printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The print illustrates a biblical scene where Jesus, as a youth, engages in theological discourse with Jewish doctors, highlighting his early wisdom and spiritual authority as narrated in Luke's Gospel.
Technique & Style
Callot employed fine etching lines to achieve detailed textures, evident in the patterned floor, draped fabrics, and architectural elements such as columns, arches, and a dome ceiling, characteristic of 17th-century printmaking techniques.
History & Provenance
Part of Callot's prolific output of over 1,400 etchings, this work originates from the Duchy of Lorraine during the Baroque period, though specific provenance details are not provided.
Context
Reflecting common practices of its time, the etching combines religious subject matter with meticulous background details, a hallmark of Callot's style, which often incorporated landscapes or, in this case, detailed interior architecture.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacques Callot (French: ; c. 1592 – 1635) was a baroque printmaker and draftsman from the Duchy of Lorraine. He is an important person in the development of the old master print. He made more than 1,400 etchings that…







![Christ Walking on the Water [second plate], by Jacques Callot](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/jacques-callot--christ-walking-on-the-water-second-plate--2069f3bfe4cb2126-w320.webp)





