Who painted Sun and Rain?

Sun and Rain was painted by Jacques Callot in 1628.

Where can I see Sun and Rain?

Sun and Rain is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Sun and Rain?

Sun and Rain is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Sun and Rain

Jacques Callot , 1628

Sun and Rain is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1628, Sun and Rain is an etching on laid paper by Jacques Callot, a French printmaker active in the early seventeenth century. The composition juxtaposes a storm‑filled sky on the left with a tranquil countryside on the right, linked by a central zone where light and shadow converge. The work exemplifies Callot’s interest in contrasting natural forces within a single image.

Subject & Meaning

The print presents a dramatic encounter between weather and landscape: dark, billowing clouds dominate the left side, pierced by shafts of sunlight, while the right side opens onto gentle hills and scattered trees. A prominent, shadowy mass—interpreted as a tree or rock— anchors the foreground, reinforcing the tension between turbulence and calm and inviting contemplation of nature’s dual character.

Technique & Style

Callot employed fine etching lines on laid paper to render both atmospheric depth and intricate detail. The contrast of dense cross‑hatching in the stormy sky against smoother washes in the pastoral area creates a clear division of tone. His precise handling of light, achieved through varied line density, gives the scene a three‑dimensional quality characteristic of his baroque sensibility.

History & Provenance

Produced during his most active period in Lorraine, the work reflects the artist’s commitment to exploring diverse themes through printmaking.

Sun and Rain belongs to Callot’s prolific output of more than 1,400 prints that documented everyday life, military subjects, and varied landscapes across Europe. Produced during his most active period in Lorraine, the work reflects the artist’s commitment to exploring diverse themes through printmaking. It has since entered museum collections as a representative example of early modern French etching.