Troops Forcing a City Gate c. 17th century

Curator: Jacques Callot's etching, "Troops Forcing a City Gate," depicts a brutal scene. It is a small work, just over 20 by 30 centimeters, yet it manages to convey immense chaos. Editor: It’s a wild dance, isn’t it? Like a nightmare ballet, all tangled bodies and glinting metal. I can almost smell the gunpowder. Curator: Callot's skill with etching allowed him to capture incredible detail. Look at the textures of the soldiers' clothing, the weaponry, the architecture of the gate itself. This speaks to the material conditions of warfare and the labor involved in its depiction. Editor: The way he's crammed so many figures into such a small space makes me feel like I'm right there in the thick of it, overwhelmed by the violence. I wonder, what did Callot want us to feel, witnessing this? Curator: Callot, who lived from 1592 to 1635, was working during a period of intense religious and political conflict. The print would have been relatively accessible, produced in multiples to circulate accounts of militarization. Editor: It definitely leaves a mark. It makes you think about the cost, both human and material, of these clashes. A haunting echo from the past. Curator: Indeed, a potent reminder of the labor of both war and art-making.