Trinity c. 17th century

Editor: This print is Jacques Callot's "Trinity," made sometime in the early 17th century. It's a very small work, almost jewel-like. What strikes me is the somewhat rigid, hierarchical structure. What do you make of it? Curator: Callot, working during a time of significant religious and political upheaval, presents us with a very specific, and I would argue, loaded, vision of the Trinity. How does the visual representation of power dynamics, like the act of crowning, reinforce existing social hierarchies? Editor: So, it's not just a religious image, but a statement on power? Curator: Precisely. Consider the role of the Church during that period. How might this image function as a visual endorsement of its authority? Thinking about the Trinity, what does the arrangement tell us? Editor: I guess the placement really emphasizes established power. I never considered religious art that way before. Curator: It's crucial to remember that art doesn't exist in a vacuum.