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The Bohemians

Jacques Callot

1623

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Baroque Baroque Allegory

Dominant colour

The Bohemians is a 1623 by Jacques Callot, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Jacques Callot
When & what style?: 1623 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

The painting shows a group of people, likely travelers or vagrants. They are dressed in worn clothing and look tired. The artist's attention to detail is what makes this work interesting, as it gives a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people in the 17th century. To learn more about the artist's use of shading and contrast, look into the technique: chiaroscuro.

The story of this work

Overview

Jacques Callot, a masterful draftsman, spent the greater part of his life at the ducal courts of Tuscany and Lorraine, where he produced prints to record festivals and theatrical performances. He also executed religious subjects and scenes reflecting many aspects of daily life including war, pervasive in 17th-century Europe. When returning to France from Italy, Callot probably saw bands of rootless men, women, and children-a common sight-which became the subject of The Bohemians. He conceived of these four prints as a long frieze; the lines in each of the sheets extend into the sheet that…

Read the full account in the museum source.