Plate 11: Dogs, from "Various animals" (Diversi animali)

Art Historical Context

Stefano della Bella, a 17th-century Italiancher renowned for his intricate Baroque prints, created *Plate 11: Dogs* around 1641 as part of his series *Various Animals* (*Diversi animali*). Working primarily in Florence under Medici patronage and later in Paris, della Bella captured the lively energy of the natural world in small-scale works like this one. This etching showcases a pair of alert dogs—likely hunting breeds—frozen in dynamic poses, reflecting the era's fascination with animal studies as both artistic exercises and symbols of nobility and the hunt. Etched on a modest sheet (3 3/8 × 4 1/4 in.), this is the third and final state of three, as cataloged by De Vesme, meaning it includes della Bella's refined finishing touches for maximum detail and contrast. Etching allowed him to achieve delicate, expressive lines reminiscent of his mentor Jacques Callot, rendering fur textures and muscular tension with remarkable precision. Such prints were affordable multiples, popular among collectors for their technical virtuosity and decorative appeal. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department through the bequest of Grace M. Pugh in 1985, this plate invites visitors to appreciate how della Bella transformed everyday subjects into timeless vignettes of vitality and grace.

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...