Design for a Frieze with Putti carrying a Vine and Three Felines, Plate 11 from: 'Decorative friezes and foliage' (Ornamenti di fregi e fogliami)
ca. 1645–50
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 3/8 × 9 13/16 in. (8.5 × 25 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.100.7
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delightful etching, *Design for a Frieze with Putti a Vine and Three F*, is Plate 11 from Stefano della Bella's *Decorative Friezes and Foliage* (*Ornamenti di freg e fogliami*), around 1645–50. printmaker Stefano della Bella, renowned for his intricate Baroque designs, captures playful putti—those cherubic child figures symbolizing joy and abundance—hoisting a lush vine, accompanied by three lively felines. Published by Nicolas Langlois the print measures a modest 3 3/8 × 9 13/16 inches, perfect for architectural ornamentation. Della Bella's etching technique shines here, with fine, flu...
About the Artist
Stefano della Bella|Nicolas Langlois · 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...