Martyrdom of Saint Matthew c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have Jacques Callot's "Martyrdom of Saint Matthew," a tiny etching from the 17th century held at the Harvard Art Museums. It's just... intense. So much happening in such a small space. What do you make of it? Curator: It's a drama bomb, isn't it? Callot crams so much theatrical violence into this miniature stage, it's like Baroque cinema. Look at the angel floating above the chaos—a beacon of serenity amidst the brutality. I wonder, does that contrast amplify or diminish the horror? Editor: I hadn't thought of it like that. It's definitely a lot to take in. Curator: Exactly. The magic of art is that it invites us to linger, to peel back the layers of meaning, even in something so seemingly straightforward. An awful, intense, beautiful, and perplexing image!