Arms of the Medici with Della Rovere
Medium
Etching
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953 and The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951 by exchange
Accession Number
68.744.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the opulent world of 17th-century Florence, Stefano della Bella crafted *Arms of the Medici Della Rovere* in 1637, an etching celebrating the union of two powerhouse Italian families. The Medici, renowned bankers turned rulers and art patrons, intermarried with the noble Della Rovere lineage—famous for producing Pope Julius II—to forge political and dynastic alliances. This coat of arms visually heralds that prestige, blending heraldic symbols in a decorative flourish typical of Baroque-era nobility. Della Bella, a master etcher trained under the Medici court, exemplifies the intricate pre...
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...