1622
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Cap. Babeo and Cucuba is a 1622 ink by French 17th Century, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows two big, exaggerated men in a crowded street. One, labeled *Cap. Babeo*, wears a feathered hat and a necklace of round beads, strutting forward with a stick. The other, *Cucuba*, leans on a pole, his arms raised like he’s balancing or fighting. Around them, tiny people watch from buildings and horse-drawn carts. The names might be mocking real people or ideas—this style often pokes fun at authority. The messy, busy lines make the scene feel chaotic and alive. Next, look up technique: etching to see how artists like this made sharp prints.
Seventeenth-century French printmakers turned ink into story. Their tools were burin and acid, paper their stage. Look at the Beggar Woman with Rosary (1622), etched on laid paper, her hands folded around faith, or The…
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
