A Black Man Feeding a Horse
probably 1662
Medium
etching on laid paper [restrike]
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Transferred from The Library of Congress
Accession Number
1986.50.82
Art Historical Context
Stefano della Bella, a masterful 17th-century Italian printmaker (1610–1661), *A Black Man Feeding a* around 1662, likely as one of his final works before his death. This etching on laid paper—a restrike pulled from the original plate after the artist's lifetime—exemplifies his Baroque style, known for intricate line work and dynamic compositions. Della Bella, who trained in Florence and worked in Paris and Rome, specialized in small-scale prints that captured everyday life with remarkable detail and energy, blending realism with theatrical flair. The medium of etching was revolutionary in De...
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...