This eminent French engraver was born at Nancy, in Lorraine, in 1593. He
was the son of Jean Callot, a gentleman of noble family, who intended
him for a very different profession, and endeavored to restrain his
natural passion for art; but when he was twelve years old, he left his
home without money or resources, joined a company of wandering
Bohemians, and found his way to Florence, where some officer of the
court, discovering his inclination for drawing, placed him under
Cantagallina. After passing some time at Florence, he went to Rome,
where he was recognized by some friends of his family, who persuaded him
to return to his parents. Meeting with continual opposition, he again
absconded, but was followed by his brother to Turin, and taken back to
Nancy. His parents, at length finding his love of art too firmly
implanted to be eradicated, concluded to allow him to follow the bent of
his genius, and they sent him to Rome in the suite of the Envoy from the
Duke of Lorraine to the Pope. Here he studied with the greatest
assiduity, and soon distinguished himself as a very skillful engraver.
From Rome he went to Florence, where his talents recommended him to the
patronage of the Grand Duke Cosmo II., on whose death he returned to
Nancy, where he was liberally patronized by Henry, Duke of Lorraine.
When misfortune overtook that prince, he went to Paris, whither his
reputation had preceded him, where he was employed by Louis XIII. to
engrave the successes of the French arms, particularly the siege of the
Isle de Ré, in sixteen sheets; the siege of Rochelle, do.; and the siege
of Breda, in eight sheets. His prints are very numerous, and are highly
esteemed; Heineken gives a full list of his prints, amounting to over
fifteen hundred! The fertility of his invention and the facility of his
hand were wonderful; yet his prints are accurately designed. He
frequently made several drawings for the same plate before he was
satisfied. Watelet says that he saw four different drawings by him for
the celebrated Temptation of St. Anthony. His drawings are also greatly
admired and highly prized.