Exercise with Halbard 1635

Curator: Here we have Jacques Callot's "Exercise with Halbard," a small etching. What strikes you first? Editor: The figures seem to float—almost like symbolic representations of soldiers, rather than individuals. Curator: Considering Callot’s time, the etching process itself is significant. The labor of producing these images, the copperplate, the biting with acid—these allowed for mass production of military imagery. Editor: Indeed. And the halberd itself—a potent symbol of authority and might. The poses seem almost ritualistic, like a dance of power. Curator: The fact that these prints were relatively inexpensive meant that knowledge of military drills, of power, could circulate more widely. It’s about accessibility, and who has access to this knowledge. Editor: A fascinating point. I see these figures as allegorical, standing in for a larger narrative of conflict. Curator: I appreciate how this work encourages us to think about the military industrial complex of the early 17th century. Editor: And I see the timeless echo of symbols of power repeating through history.