Who painted Second Part of the Via Dolorosa?

Second Part of the Via Dolorosa was painted by Jacques Callot in 1619.

Where can I see Second Part of the Via Dolorosa?

Second Part of the Via Dolorosa is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Second Part of the Via Dolorosa?

Second Part of the Via Dolorosa is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Second Part of the Via Dolorosa

Jacques Callot , 1619

Second Part of the Via Dolorosa is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1619 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1619, *Second Part of the Via Dolorosa* is an etching and engraving on laid paper by Jacques Callot, a prolific French printmaker of the early seventeenth century. The work forms a double‑scene composition that captures a moment from the Passion narrative, rendered with the fine linear detail for which Callot’s prints are celebrated.

Subject & Meaning

In the left panel, three figures gather beneath a balcony; one bears a cross while another gestures upward, suggesting a dialogue about the crucifixion.

The image presents two adjacent vignettes of a stone structure with arched openings. In the left panel, three figures gather beneath a balcony; one bears a cross while another gestures upward, suggesting a dialogue about the crucifixion. The right panel isolates a solitary figure standing in an empty doorway, looking downward, evoking the contemplative encounter between Christ and his mother during the Via Dolorosa.

Technique & Style

Callot employed a combination of etching and engraving to achieve both delicate tonal washes and crisp, controlled lines. The laid paper surface enhances the texture of the brickwork and architectural elements, while the precise incisions convey the intricate folds of clothing and nuanced facial expressions, hallmarks of Callot’s meticulous narrative style.

History & Provenance

Part of Callot’s extensive series of religious prints, this piece reflects his broader interest in documenting contemporary devotional scenes. Produced as a restrike, it indicates continued demand for the image after its initial issue. The work remains within the corpus of over 1,400 etchings that solidified Callot’s reputation across Europe during the Baroque period.