Two cows in center, followed by two peasant women and other cows in the river to left, a round composition, from 'Six animal subjects' (Six sujets d'animaux)
ca. 1643–48
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 8 1/4 x 11 5/16 in. (21 x 28.7 cm) Plate: 5 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (14.7 x 14.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.556.3
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the heart of Stefano della Bella's etching *Two cows in center, followed by two peasant and other cows in the to left, a round composition*, from his series *Six animal subjects (Six sujets d'anima), ca. 1643–48, we encounter a lively pastoral scene. The Italian Baroque master, renowned for his intricate prints, captures cows wading through a river, herded by two sturdy peasant women, all arranged in a dynamic, circular composition. This intimate plate (5 13/16 x 5 9/16 in.) draws viewers into the rhythms of rural life, blending animals and humans in harmonious motion. Della Bella's etching technique shines here, with fine, expressive lines etched into a metal plate to evoke texture—from the rippling water and shaggy cow hides to the women's flowing skirts. Active in Florence and Paris during the 17th century, he produced over 1,000 prints, often celebrating everyday subjects with a sense of vitality inspired by his mentor Jacques Callot. This work exemplifies his skill in animal studies, part of a rare series focused on beasts, highlighting Baroque interest in nature's drama and the humble labors of the countryside. On view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011), it invites us to appreciate how such modest scenes elevated printmaking as an accessible art form, bridging elite patronage with universal themes of land and livelihood.
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...