Artwork
Two Women in Profile
Two Women in Profile is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1617 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 the etching Two Women in Profile around 1617. Executed on laid paper, the work presents a brief scene of two women walking side by side, each turned toward the left. The composition is rendered in fine lines that convey the texture of their garments and a subtle sense of motion.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a moment of everyday life, showing a pair of women in contemporary dress. The figure on the left wears a wide striped skirt, a draped shawl and a small feathered hat, while the companion on the right carries a bundle, dons a loose cloak and a straw hat. The focus on ordinary activity reflects Callot’s interest in documenting the social fabric of his time.
Technique & Style
Callot employed the etching process, incising the design into a metal plate before printing it onto laid paper. The delicate, intersecting lines create the impression of folded fabric and convey a gentle rhythm of movement. This linear precision and attention to surface texture are characteristic of early‑1600s French baroque printmaking.
History & Provenance
Two Women in Profile belongs to Callot’s prolific output, which exceeds 1,400 prints produced during his career in Lorraine. While specific ownership records for this particular sheet are scarce, the work is typical of the series of genre scenes that circulated among collectors in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Context
During Callot’s lifetime, Lorraine was a crossroads of cultural exchange, and the artist’s prints often blended courtly elegance with depictions of common folk. This piece aligns with his broader practice of portraying soldiers, beggars, and everyday figures against carefully rendered backgrounds, offering a visual record of contemporary attire and manners.
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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…
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