Artwork
The Entry into Jerusalem
The Entry into Jerusalem is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1635 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jacques Callot, a French printmaker active in the early seventeenth century, produced an etching titled The Entry into Jerusalem in 1635. Executed on laid paper, the work belongs to a series of religious subjects that Callot explored alongside his prolific output of more than a thousand prints documenting a range of social and biblical scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays the biblical triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, crowded with figures in flowing robes and a multitude of donkeys that carry riders. Palm fronds frame the background, suggesting the celebratory atmosphere described in the Gospels, while the dense assembly of onlookers conveys the public fervor of the moment.
Technique & Style
Callot employed the etching process, using fine lines, cross‑hatching and varied shading to model space and volume without any pigment. The drawing is rendered in swift, sketch‑like strokes that give the composition a lively, almost hectic quality, while the careful modulation of line density creates depth among the figures and architecture.
History & Provenance
Created as part of Callot’s religious series, the print reflects the artist’s interest in narrative detail and his skill in reproducing complex scenes for a broad audience. The work circulated among collectors of the period and remains an example of the baroque print tradition that linked French and Italian artistic practices.
Context
During the 1630s, Callot was working in the Duchy of Lorraine, a region that fostered a vibrant print culture. His prints often combined courtly, devotional and genre subjects, positioning The Entry into Jerusalem within a broader visual language that merged sacred storytelling with the observational precision of contemporary life.
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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…
Holy Family at supper
Restoration of the Aqueduct at Pisa
Restoration of the Aqueduct at Pisa
Square in Paris with Many Figures
Square in Paris with Many Figures
Horsemen Attacked by Robbers
HOW WILL A COVERED PART BE CORRECTED?HOW WIKA A COVERED HEART DEED CORRECTED?![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)
Christ Walking on the Water [second plate]
