Artwork
Il Solimano, Act IV
Il Solimano, Act IV is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1620 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jacques Callot’s *Il Solimano, Act IV* (1620) is an early‑17th‑century print executed by both etching and engraving on laid paper. The French printmaker, active in the Duchy of Lorraine, combined the two techniques to render a complex theatrical scene with fine linear detail and tonal shading.
Subject & Meaning
The image illustrates a stage setting from the fourth act of the opera *Il Solimano*.
The image illustrates a stage setting from the fourth act of the opera *Il Solimano*. Tall, ornamented architecture frames a central arch, while figures in contemporary dress—military uniforms, sumptuous robes, and pointed hats—populate the foreground, some holding symbolic objects such as a globe or a scroll. Labels indicating characters (e.g., “Rus.”, “Sol.”) suggest a narrative tableau of the opera’s plot.
Technique & Style
Callot employs a dense network of crisp lines and cross‑hatching to model space, creating an illusion of depth that was characteristic of Baroque printmaking. The combination of etching’s fluid lines with the precise incisions of engraving allows for both spontaneous drawing and controlled detail, a hallmark of his workshop practice.
History & Provenance
Produced in 1620, the print belongs to Callot’s prolific output of more than 1,400 prints that documented military life, courtly ceremonies, and everyday figures of his time. While the original ownership record is unclear, the work has been cited in catalogues of Baroque prints and appears in several museum collections of early modern graphic art.
Context
The composition reflects the Baroque fascination with theatrical spectacle and elaborate stage design. Operatic productions of the period often employed elaborate perspective sets, and Callot’s print serves as a visual record of such scenography, linking the visual arts with contemporary performance culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacques Callot was a baroque printmaker and draftsman from the Duchy of Lorraine.
Holy Family at supper
Restoration of the Aqueduct at Pisa
Restoration of the Aqueduct at Pisa
Square in Paris with Many Figures
Square in Paris with Many Figures
Horsemen Attacked by Robbers
HOW WILL A COVERED PART BE CORRECTED?HOW WIKA A COVERED HEART DEED CORRECTED?![Christ Walking on the Water [second plate], by Jacques Callot](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/jacques-callot--christ-walking-on-the-water-second-plate--2069f3bfe4cb2126-w320.webp)
Christ Walking on the Water [second plate]
