Scenes from the Life of Christ and Other Figure Studies

About this artwork

Stefano della Bella (1610-1664) stands as one of the most prolific and talented printmakers of the 17th century, creating over 1,052 prints and several thousand drawings throughout his career. Unlike most etchers of his time who maintained parallel careers as painters, della Bella devoted himself almost exclusively to printmaking, though this drawing demonstrates his highly regarded draftsmanship. Born in Florence, he studied under Remigio Cantagallina, who had also instructed Jacques Callot, an...

Art Historical Context

Stefano della Bella (1610–1664), one of the 17th century's most printmakers, produced over 1,052 prints and thousands of drawings focusing almost exclusively on graphic arts rather than painting. Born in, he trained under Remigio Cantagall—who had taught Jacques Callot—and evolved from Mannerist roots to a vibrant Baroque style. This pen-and-brown-ink drawing, measuring 7½ x 11 inches, his exceptional draftsmanship through multiple vignettes from the Life of Christ, alongside lively figure studies of women, hands, men, horses, and a child with a squirrel. The sheet's spontaneous, spirited quality highlights della Bella's working method: economical strokes that deftly capture movement and form. Created during his influential Paris years (1639–1650), it reflects adaptations to French tastes while absorbing ideas from Rembrandt and Dutch printmakers. Backed by Medici patronage, his output elevated printmaking's status in Florentine courts. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Bequest of Walter C. Baker, 1971), this work reveals the artist's versatility and mastery, bridging religious narrative with everyday observation in a single, dynamic page.

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...