Naval combat, a ship at center, seen from behind, firing at four enemy ships, another ship entering from the right, a rowboat with nine people to left, from "Peace and War" (Divers desseins tant pour la paix que pour la guerre)
Medium
Etching; second state of two
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed to plate): 4 1/16 × 9 15/16 in. (10.3 × 25.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1917
Accession Number
17.50.17-232
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Stefano della Bella, a Italian etcher active in 17th-century France, this vivid "Naval Combat" around 1641 as part of his series *Divers desseins tant pour la paix que pour guerre* ("Various Designs for Both Peace and War"). Published Israël Henriet and linked to the Marquis de Mavrier, the print exemplifies della Bella's Baroque style, for its intricate line work and dramatic energy. This second state of two reveals refinements in the etching process, where acid bites into a metal plate to produce fine, expressive details. At the center, a ship viewed from behind unleashes cannon fire on four enemy vessels, while another ally ship surges in from the right and a rowboat carrying nine figures flees to the left—capturing the frenzy of maritime warfare. Etching's precision allowed della Bella to convey motion and scale within the compact sheet (4 1/16 × 9 15/16 in.), making complex battles accessible through printmaking, a revolutionary medium for disseminating imagery. Produced amid Europe's Thirty Years' War and Franco-Spanish conflicts, this work reflects the era's obsession with naval power and heroism at sea. Now in The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1917), it invites visitors to ponder the artistry behind glorifying "war" alongside "peace" in della Bella's versatile oeuvre.
About the Artist
Stefano della Bella|Israël Henriet|Marquis de Maulevrier · 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...