La Perspective du Pont Neuf de Paris

About this artwork

Gezicht op de Pont Neuf in Parijs, met rechts het Louvre. Op de voorgrond een massa wandelaars, ruiters, kooplieden en koetsen. Op de voorgrond rechts een groepje luisteraars bij een draailierspeler. Middenboven het wapen van Parijs, gedragen door twee engelen. Tekst en verklarende lijst met nummers in ondermarge.

Art Historical Context

Stefano della Bella’s 1646 etching, *La Perspective du Pont Neuf de Paris*, offers a lively panoramic view of one of the French capital’s most iconic bridges. Measuring over half a meter wide, the print captures the Pont Neuf bustling with walkers, riders, merchants, and carriages, while the Louvre rises on the right bank. In the foreground, a hurdy-gurdy player draws a small crowd, highlighting the everyday street life that animated the city. The composition is framed by the coat of arms of Paris, held aloft by two angels, and includes an explanatory key in the lower margin. As an etching, t...

About the Artist

Stefano della Bella · 1610–1664

Stefano della Bella (1610-1664) was one of the most prolific and versatile printmakers of the Italian Baroque period, leaving behind 1,052 prints and several thousand drawings that captured the vivid essence of 17th-century European life. Born in Florence on May 18, 1610, to a family of artists, he trained initially as a goldsmith before studying painting under Cesare Dandini and etching under Rem...