Allegory of the Peace of Crèpy, 1544, c. 1675
Gerard de Lairesseexpand_more
Etchingexpand_more
Gift of James A. Bergquist, Boston, in honor of Rachel McGarryexpand_more 2021.69.25
Not on Viewexpand_more
Forceful and brilliant in its draftsmanship, this allegorical etching does more than suggest that the Treaty of Crèpy, favored one side over the other. The double-headed Imperial Eagle bears the arms of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V as it squeezes the Gallic Cock. The treaty, signed in 1544 by representatives of Charles and France's King Francis I, was meant to bring peace between these rivals who had been engaged in the so-called Italian Wars. They were to divy up disputed territory and to arrange a marriage that would bind the royal families together.
The terms would also force Frances to turn against his ally Suleiman the Magnificent, ruler of the Ottoman Empire. In the end, the treaty was moot, because Francis's son died, preventing the intermarriage.
Details
- Title
- Allegory of the Peace of Crèpy, 1544
- Artist Life
- 1641–1711
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2021.69.25
- Catalogue Raisonne
- NAgler Kunstlerlexikon 82 LeBlanc 311 Timmers 68 Hollstein 68 Alain Roy / G(ravures) 76, III/IV
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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