Friday, July 15, 2016

Baroque Portraiture by Stefano della Bella

Stefano della Bella
Head of a Satyr
ca. 1647
etching
British Museum

The man in a fur hat (below) gives evidence that Stefano della Bella (1610-1664) found opportunities to study the engraved self-portraits of his Netherlandish contemporary, Rembrandt. The frightened soldier who shares the plate is probably derived from a baroque Italian painting of the same period. As observed earlier, della Bella alternates in this group between idiosyncratic character-studies and idealized glamour-images.

Stefano della Bella
Frightened Soldier & Man in Fur Hat
1652
etching
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Stefano della Bella
Sultana with Turban
ca. 1649-50
etching
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Stefano della Bella
Mother with Child on Donkey, assisted by Satyr
ca. 1646
etching
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Stefano della Bella
Young Man of Fashion
ca. 1645-50
etching
British Museum

Stefano della Bella
Lady of Fashion
ca. 1645-50
etching
British Museum

Stefano della Bella
Old Turk seated on a Stone
ca. 1662
etching
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Stefano della Bella
Four Turks
ca. 1662
etching
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Stefano della Bella
Head of a Woman
1650
etching
British Museum

Stefano della Bella
Head of a Woman from the back
ca. 1647
etching
British Museum

Stefano della Bella
Head of a Woman in profile
ca. 1646
etching
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Stefano della Bella
Head of a Woman in profile
ca. 1647
etching
British Museum

Stefano della Bella
Six Heads
ca. 1649
etching
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Stefano della Bella
Head of an Old Woman
ca. 1649
etching
Metropolitan Museum of Art