Jacques Callot

OK, OK. So I've got a theme going here. And it's a little dark, and a little weird, but I can't help myself.  Maybe it's because Halloween is coming soon.

Today, I want to look at works by Jacques Callot, a 17th century French baroque printmaker.  He worked under the patronage of the Medici family, and was even collected by Rembrandt. He created intricately detailed etchings, depicting military and religious themes as well other tragedies, horrors, festivities and characters of his time and place. His most famous prints are probably "The Miseries and Misfortunes of War" series.  These are scary and dark, but not at all in a fun way.

Of course, the Callot prints I love the best are the "Grotesque Dwarves". Callot created these images to inspire Derby porcelain to create the ceramic figures, "Grotesque Dwarves" or "Mansion House Dwarves", named for a father and son paid to walk around the Mansion House in London in huge hats with advertisements pinned to them. I am only assuming that by the title, they were a short-statured family.

A pair of 18th century Derby porcelain
Mansion House Dwarfs