Plate 7: a cartouche with the mask of an ogre at top center, scrollwork to either side, from 'Twelve cartouches' (Recueil de douze cartouches)

Art Historical Context

This delicate etching from around 1640–45 belongs to Stefano della Bella’s series “Twelve Cartouches,” published by François Langlois and printed by François Collignon. The small print, just over three inches tall, presents an ornamental cartouche crowned by the fierce mask of an ogre. Flanking scrollwork unfurls in lively curves, typical of the playful grotesques that adorned Baroque pattern books. Created as an etching in its second state, the work showcases the medium’s ability to render crisp lines and intricate details on a miniature scale. In the seventeenth century, such ornamental prints served as portable design sources for artisans, goldsmiths, and architects across Europe. Della Bella, celebrated for his inventive ornament and lively imagination, drew on both classical motifs and contemporary taste for the bizarre. The ogre mask at the center adds a touch of theatrical drama, reminding viewers that cartouches were not merely decorative frames but expressive elements that could convey character and narrative. Today housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this sheet offers a charming glimpse into the rich tradition of ornamental printmaking. Its compact size and refined execution highlight how even the smallest works contributed to the visual language of the Baroque era.