Who painted Coins [plate 3]?

Coins [plate 3] was painted by Jacques Callot in 1630.

Where can I see Coins [plate 3]?

Coins [plate 3] is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Coins [plate 3]?

Coins [plate 3] is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Coins [plate 3]

Jacques Callot , 1630

Coins [plate 3] is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1630 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1630 by Jacques Callot, a French printmaker active in the Duchy of Lorraine, *Coins [plate 3]* is an etching executed on laid paper. The work consists of a tightly organized array of sixteen circular devices, each bearing a distinct heraldic emblem or symbolic motif. The composition showcases Callot’s meticulous approach to recording contemporary visual material.

Subject & Meaning

Each circle functions as a miniature representation of a coat of arms, civic seal, or personal insignia, suggesting a cataloguing of authority and identity. The variety of eagles, crowns, and cryptic lettering points to a broad spectrum of patrons—nobility, municipalities, and military units—reflecting the artist’s interest in documenting the social hierarchy of his era.

Technique & Style

The image was produced by etching, a process in which Callot incised fine lines into a metal plate with a needle before applying ink and pressing it onto paper. The resulting lines are crisp and densely rendered, allowing intricate heraldic details to emerge within the confined circular frames. Laid paper provides a subtle texture that enhances the contrast of the dark marks.

History & Provenance

Part of a larger series titled *Coins*, this plate is the third in the set and belongs to Callot’s prolific output of more than fourteen hundred prints. The series was likely assembled for a patron interested in a visual inventory of contemporary symbols, and the sheet has survived in museum collections that specialize in early modern graphic arts.