Artwork

The Blessing (Le Bénédicité) also known as The Holy Family at Table

The Blessing (Le Bénédicité) also known as The Holy Family at Table is a print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1628 by the French printmaker Jacques Callot, this work—known as *The Blessing* or *The Holy Family at Table*—is a religious image executed as an intaglio print. It is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed as an example of early‑17th‑century devotional imagery.

Subject & Meaning

The composition shows a small family gathered around a modest table. A man and a woman sit on opposite sides, while a child occupies the central seat, looking upward as if receiving a benediction. A single candle provides gentle illumination, underscoring the intimate, contemplative atmosphere that suggests a private moment of prayer or blessing.

Technique & Style

Callot employed fine line engraving combined with delicate hatching to render textures of clothing, the soft glow of the candle, and the subtle expressions of the figures. The restrained palette of black ink and the careful modulation of tone reflect the artist’s mastery of chiaroscuro within the print medium, characteristic of his detailed narrative approach.

History & Provenance

The print was produced in the late 1620s, a period when Callot was active in Lorraine and gaining reputation for his intricate prints. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through a 20th‑century acquisition, joining a broader collection of European prints that illustrate the spread of religious iconography in early modern print culture.