Genie of Drawing
1610–64
Medium
Pen and brown ink
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 5/8 x 5 3/16 in. (9.2 x 13.2 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Christopher Mendez, in memory of Phyllis D. Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2011.562
Tags
Art Historical Context
Stefano della Bella, a masterful 17th-century Florentine draftsman and etcher (1610–1664), captures the spirit of artistic inspiration in *Genie of Drawing*. intimate pen and brown ink drawing, measuring just 3 5/8 x 5 3/16 inches, personifies the muse of drawing as a whimsical genie—likely evoking the Baroque era's fascination with allegory and the classical arts. Created during della Bella's prolific career, spanned Italy and France, the work reflects his time at the Medici court and his service under Cardinal Richelieu, where he honed his intricate line work. Della Bella's technique shines...
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...