What movement is St. Romaricus; St. Leocadia; Sts. Mennas and Hermogenes; St. Damasus?

St. Romaricus; St. Leocadia; Sts. Mennas and Hermogenes; St. Damasus is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

St. Romaricus; St. Leocadia; Sts. Mennas and Hermogenes; St. Damasus

St. Romaricus; St. Leocadia; Sts. Mennas and Hermogenes; St. Damasus is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1634 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1634, this print by Jacques Callot presents four separate oval vignettes on a single sheet of laid paper. Each vignette depicts a distinct saintly figure or pair, arranged in a two‑by‑two grid. The compositions are rendered in delicate line work, with subtle cross‑hatching that suggests space and texture, characteristic of Callot’s meticulous approach to printmaking.

Subject & Meaning

Damasus, presenting an object to a kneeling figure, emphasizing themes of piety and ecclesiastical authority.

The upper left panel shows a robed female saint, likely St. Romaricus, holding a book before a townscape, while a small crowd observes. Adjacent, a woman in dark attire kneels beside a wall, representing St. Leocadia. The lower left features two armored soldiers, identified as Sts. Mennas and Hermogenes, one bearing a spear. The lower right depicts a richly dressed bishop, St. Damasus, presenting an object to a kneeling figure, emphasizing themes of piety and ecclesiastical authority.

Technique & Style

Callot employed the etching process, incising his design onto a copper plate with acid-resistant ground before exposing it to acid. The resulting fine lines are transferred onto laid paper, allowing for nuanced shading and depth. His use of tight, controlled hatching creates a sense of three‑dimensionality within the compact oval frames, while the overall composition balances intricate detail with clear narrative focus.

History & Provenance

Jacques Callot, a prominent French baroque printmaker from Lorraine, produced over 1,400 etchings covering military, courtly, religious, and landscape subjects. This particular work belongs to his series of devotional prints, illustrating his capacity to integrate multiple saintly narratives on a single sheet. The print has circulated among collectors of early modern prints and is documented in several museum catalogues of Callot’s oeuvre.