Artwork
Firing the Cannon
Firing the Cannon is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1634 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jacques Callot’s 1634 print Firing the Cannon is an etching executed on laid paper. The image captures a bustling scene in which several figures cooperate to load and discharge a large artillery piece. Rendered with Callot’s characteristic attention to detail, the work exemplifies his prolific output of more than a thousand prints that document early‑modern life.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a group of men engaged in the operation of a cannon, each assigned a specific task, from hauling powder to positioning the charge. By foregrounding the coordinated labor of soldiers, the print highlights the collective effort behind military technology and offers a snapshot of contemporary martial practice.
Technique & Style
Callot employed the etching process, incising fine lines into a copper plate before transferring the image onto laid paper. His use of delicate, cross‑hatched strokes creates a dense network of textures that delineate individual figures, equipment, and background elements, allowing the viewer to discern the varied roles within the scene.
Context
Created in the Duchy of Lorraine during the Baroque period, the print aligns with Callot’s broader interest in military subjects, which he explored throughout his career. While the original plate’s ownership history is not fully documented, prints of Firing the Cannon circulated among collectors of the 17th‑century French print market and remain in several museum collections today.
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…
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