Three goats climbing a vine in the shape of a backwards 'S', from 'Ornaments or Grotesques' (Ornamenti o Grottesche)

Art Historical Context

Stefano della Bella’s etching *Three goats climbing a vine in the shape of a backwards 'S'* belongs to his series *Ornaments or Grotesques* (*Ornamenti o Grottesche*), created around 1650–56. Della Bella, a prolific Florentine printmaker active during the Baroque era, specialized in imaginative ornamental designs that revived the ancient Roman grotesque style. These motifs—playful combinations of animals, foliage, and scrolling forms—were popular for inspiring decorative schemes in architecture, textiles, and metalwork. The print’s compact format (roughly 6 7/8 by 2 11/16 inches) and delicate etched lines allow for intricate detail within a whimsical composition. Three goats nimbly ascend a vine that twists into a reversed “S,” merging observed natural behavior with fantastical ornament. Etching was ideally suited to such designs, enabling the fine, fluid lines that made these prints valuable models for craftsmen and collectors. As part of the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Drawings and Prints, the work highlights how seventeenth-century artists like della Bella bridged fine art and applied design. The series reflects the period’s delight in inventive decoration that transformed everyday objects into lively visual experiences.

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...