Beheading of Saint John the Baptist c. 17th century

Curator: Here we have Jacques Callot's "Beheading of Saint John the Baptist" from the Harvard Art Museums. The print is quite small, just 7.6 by 4.9 centimeters. Editor: Despite the scale, the scene is intensely graphic. Look at the contrast between the chaotic foreground and the rigid, almost stage-like, background. Curator: Callot was a master printmaker, and this work illustrates the prevalent early modern obsession with martyrdom, particularly in the wake of religious wars and conflicts. Editor: The material details are striking. The etching technique allows for such fine lines, emphasizing both the brutality of the act and the banquet where the head will be presented. Consider how that circulates as an object. Curator: Absolutely. The print, widely circulated, reinforces religious power through dramatic and violent imagery that was both didactic and sensational for its audience. Editor: It's a powerful reminder of how readily an image, meticulously crafted, can serve political and religious agendas through its distribution and consumption. Curator: Indeed. A potent example of art serving public instruction. Editor: A dark testament indeed.