Artwork
Frontispiece for Callot's "The New Testament"
Frontispiece for Callot's "The New Testament" is an ink print by the Baroque artist Abraham Bosse. It dates from 1635 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
The edges are packed with fancy, tangled designs—like vines or smoke—filling every corner.
This image is a black-and-white print with lots of swirling lines and shapes. At the top, there’s a face peeking out from a curly frame. In the middle, a banner has French text that looks like a title. The edges are packed with fancy, tangled designs—like vines or smoke—filling every corner.
The text says it’s for a book called *Nouveau Testament*, made in 1635. The artist’s name isn’t shown here, but the printmaker’s name is in the bottom corner.
Want to know more? Look up etching to see how this kind of print was made.
Overview
This 1635 etching by Abraham Bosse serves as the frontispiece for Jacques Callot’s publication of *The New Testament*. The work is a characteristic example of Bosse’s specialization in etching.
Subject & Meaning
The frontispiece likely depicts a religious or symbolic scene related to the biblical text, framing the thematic content of *The New Testament*. Specific elements include a face within a curly frame at the top and a central banner with French text, presumably the title *Nouveau Testament*.
Technique & Style
The etching features dense, swirling lines and shapes, with intricate, tangled designs resembling vines or smoke along the edges. This ornate style is consistent with 17th-century French etching aesthetics.
History & Provenance
Created in 1635 for *The New Testament*, the frontispiece is attributed to Abraham Bosse based on external sources, as the print only credits the printmaker at the bottom corner.
Context
Understanding the etching involves recognizing the collaborative nature of early modern publication, where artists like Bosse contributed to religious texts by prominent figures like Callot.
Artist & collection
Artist
Abraham Bosse (c. 1604 – 14 February 1676) was a French artist, mainly as a printmaker in etching, but also in watercolour.
