Virgin Mary c. 17th century

Editor: This is Jacques Callot's "Virgin Mary," a print residing at the Harvard Art Museums. The dramatic folds of Mary's robes are so eye-catching. What strikes you about the formal elements here? Curator: Notice how Callot employs hatching and cross-hatching to build form and volume. The density of lines creates areas of shadow, juxtaposed against the stark white of the paper, emphasizing the figure's monumentality. Editor: Yes, there's a real contrast between light and dark. Curator: Indeed. Consider also how the linear quality and composition guide our eye, drawing us upward to the face, framed by the halo and veil. The use of line becomes its own language here. Editor: That's a fascinating way to think about it. Thanks! Curator: You're welcome. It’s through the interplay of form that the work achieves its spiritual presence.