Saint Romaricus by Jacques Callot

c. 17th century

Saint Romaricus

Listen to curator's interpretation

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Curatorial notes

Curator: Oh, this little print just hums with quiet devotion, doesn't it? It's Jacques Callot's Saint Romaricus. Editor: It’s striking how Callot centers Romaricus but includes gendered religious figures in the landscape—do they symbolize the historical exclusion and piety imposed on women within the Church? Curator: Perhaps. Or maybe it's just a sweet, surreal backdrop! Callot's line work here is so precise, even at this scale. I feel like I could just step into that slightly bonkers landscape. Editor: The composition subtly reinforces a theological hierarchy, doesn't it? Even in supposed humility. It makes you think. Curator: Absolutely, and thinking is important, but I mostly see the calm. The soft scratching of the etcher’s needle is like a whispered prayer. Editor: It prompts a deeper interrogation of faith and power. Curator: For sure. And that’s a powerful little image!