COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
Record
AMICA ID:
AIC_.1940.59R
AMICA Library Year:
2001
Object Type:
Drawings and Watercolors
Creator Name:
Callot, Jacques
Creator Nationality:
European; French
Creator Role:
Artist
Creator Dates/Places:
French; 1592-1635
Creator Name-CRT:
Jacques Callot
Title:
Sketches for the Balli di Sfessania
Title Type:
preferred
Title:
Sketches of Dancers
Title Type:
alternate
Title:
Sketches of Ballet Dancers
Title Type:
alternate
Title:
Grotesque Dancers: Eight Studies of Characters from the "Commedia dell'Arte
Title Type:
alternate
View:
full view
Creation Date:
1616/19
Creation Start Date:
1616
Creation End Date:
1619
Materials and Techniques:
Red chalk, on buff laid paper
Classification Term:
Drawing
Classification Term:
Prints and Drawings
Creation Place:
Europe,France
Dimensions:
214 x 288 mm
AMICA Contributor:
The Art Institute of Chicago
Owner Location:
Chicago, Illinois, USA
ID Number:
1940.59R
Credit Line:
The Art Institute of Chicago, Gift of the Print and Drawing Club
Context:
The "Balli di Sfessania" are among Callot's most celebrated works. On the one hand, they have been viewed as the quintessential Callot, representative of his highly personal artistic fantasy. On the other hand, they have served the historian as documents on the history of theatrics; the figures are modeled on characters from the Italian comedy genre, commedia dell'arte, and the works seem inspired by street entertainments common in Italy at carnivals and other festivities. The title is also the name of a popular dance of the Neapolitan carnival. The twenty-four etchines of the "Balli di Sfessania" are dated around 1621, shortly after Callot returned to France. The series is composed in the artist's technically sophisticated manner, creating a great sense of depth in the images by using the slanted echoppe, various other types of needles, and repeated bitings of the plate.
Related Image Identifier Link:
AIC_.D14126.tif
