About this work

This is a drawing of a busy street scene with architectural structures and various figures. It depicts a large open area bordered by a grand building to the left and a rounded tower or structure to the right. The left side of the scene is lined with stairs leading up to an elevated walkway or platform, where people are gathered. In the middle and to the right, a crowd has formed, encompassing the space in front of the tower. Various individuals, some wearing distinctive headgear, are seen mingling and gesturing. The architectural details in the background, such as the windows and brickwork of the tower, frame the scene below. A hand-operated apparatus extends from the tower, possibly for lifting goods or supplies. The drawing captures a dynamic urban moment.

Description from the National Gallery of Art.

Jacques Callot made this in 1620, aged 28. It is now at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

How it was made

Etching: The artist draws with a needle through a waxy coating on a copper plate, and acid bites the exposed lines. The plate is then inked, wiped and printed under pressure, so the line keeps the freedom of drawing.
Laid paper: Handmade on a mould of close-set wires, which leave fine parallel lines you can see when the sheet is held to the light.

Jacques Callot

French, 1592–1635

See all 2 works by Jacques Callot

Rights and the museum’s record

Public domain. The National Gallery of Art has dedicated this image to the public domain under CC0, so anyone may copy, adapt and use it, for any purpose, without asking. Our prints and files are reproductions made from the museum’s image; the museum doesn’t endorse them.

Object number: 1969.15.401
Credit: Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
Type: Print
Licence: CC0 1.0 Universal
Museum record: See it on the museum’s site

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