French school; XIX century.

French school; XIX century.
"Caricature."
Oil on canvas.
Measurements: 77 x 107 cm; 102 x 132 cm (frame).
Oil on canvas whose figures are inspired by the engravings of "les Gobbi" by Jacques Callot. One of the most outstanding engravers in history, Jacques Callot engraved more than one thousand four hundred plates, which represent a whole documentary corpus about the time he lived. He depicted all kinds of characters, both marginal and courtly, and also etched religious and military images. His works are currently held in the most important collections in the world, including the Prado Museum, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan in New York and the British Museum in London.
The Gobbi series is part of his picturesque memories of Florence and is inspired by the jesters and dwarfs of the court of Grand Duke Cosimo II de Medici. It demonstrates Callot's talent for caricature and the period's taste for grotesque scenes.