CALLOT, JACQUES (1592-1635), French engraver, was born at Nancy in Lorraine, where his father, Jean Callot, was a herald-at-arms. When only 14 years old, he was allowed to ac company the duke of Lorraine's envoy to the papal court in order to study art in Rome. His first care was to study the art of design, of which in a short time he became a perfect master. Philip Thomasin instructed him in the use of the graver, which, however, he ultimately abandoned, substituting the point as better adapted for his purposes. From Rome he went to Florence, where he remained till the death of Cosimo II., the Maecenas of those times. On returning to his native country he was warmly received by the then duke of Lorraine, who admired and encouraged him. As his fame was now spread abroad in various countries of Europe, many distinguished persons gave him commissions to execute. By the Infanta Isabella, sovereign of the low countries, he was com missioned to engrave a design of the siege of Breda; and for Louis XIII. he executed a design of the siege of Rochelle and the attack on the Isle of Re. He engraved in all about 1,600 pieces, the best of which are those executed in aqua fortis. No one ever possessed in a higher degree the talent for grouping a large number of figures in a small space, and of representing with two or three bold strokes the expression, action and peculiar features of each individual. Freedom, variety and naivete characterize all his pieces. His Fairs, his Miseries of War, his Sieges, his Temptation of St. Anthony and his Conversion of St. Paul are the best-known of his plates.
See also Edouard Meaume, Recherches sur la vie de Jacques Callnt (186o).