Battle of the Amalekites (Bataille des Amalecites), Amalekites on horseback gallop towards the left, pursued by the Israelites, a dead man to right, a dead horse to left
ca. 1645–52
Medium
Etching; second state of two
Dimensions
Sheet: 6 9/16 x 12 11/16 in. (16.7 x 32.2 cm) Plate: 4 13/16 x 10 11/16 in. (12.3 x 27.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.451
Tags
Art Historical Context
Stefano della Bella, a Italian etcher of the Baroque period (1610–1664), captures the chaos of biblical warfare in *Battle of the Amalekites (ca. 1645–52). This dynamic etching depicts Amalekites on horseback galloping to the left, pursued by Israelite forces, with a fallen warrior to the right and a dead to the left amid a rugged landscape. Della Bella, who trained in Florence and worked Paris, excelled in printmaking, producing intricate battle scenes that blend historical drama with vivid motion. Printed as the second state of two, this etching measures just 4 13/16 x 10 11/16 inches on th...
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...