Saints Gervasius and Protasius c. 17th century

Curator: This is Jacques Callot's "Saints Gervasius and Protasius," a small etching housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's intense! The figures are caught in such raw, violent action, yet the delicate lines almost give it a dreamlike quality. Curator: Callot was a master of etching, and here we see his skill in capturing detail on a tiny scale. The printmaking process itself, with its acid baths and meticulous inking, speaks to a highly skilled labor. Editor: I can almost feel the weight of those clubs, the sting. There’s a strange beauty in the suffering, a quiet strength radiating from the saints. Curator: Prints like these were widely distributed, acting as a form of visual communication, spreading stories and religious narratives amongst a broad audience. Editor: It’s amazing to think something so small could carry such weight, so much story. Curator: Indeed, Callot's technical prowess allowed these brutal scenes to reach a vast public. Editor: Yes, it makes you think about the process, about the story, about the circulation of images then and now.