Saint Mary of Joy c. 17th century

Curator: This is Jacques Callot's "Saint Mary of Joy", currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. What strikes you first about it? Editor: It feels like a dream sequence. Mary’s indoors, but also surrounded by heavenly light. There’s a beautiful tension between the mundane and the miraculous. Curator: The intimacy of this etching, despite its grand subject, is interesting. Callot’s Mary isn't some distant icon. Her ecstasy connects to broader issues of female spiritual expression. Editor: She looks utterly transported. It’s a really compelling vision, even now. Curator: Indeed. The piece offers a glimpse into the intersections of faith, gender, and artistic expression in the early 17th century. Editor: It's powerful how such a small, simple image can convey so much emotion.