Pan et Syrinx
Medium
Etching, state i
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Robert Hartshorne, 1918
Accession Number
18.48.2-2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This etching titled *Pan et Syrinx*, created in 1644 by Stefano della Bella, captures a moment from classical mythology featuring the god Pan. Produced as a print in its first state, the work exemplifies the delicate line work and dynamic composition typical of Baroque etching techniques. Della Bella, an accomplished Italian printmaker, brought intricate detail to mythological subjects, allowing the scene to unfold with both energy and elegance on the copper plate. The print’s associations with Jean Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin, publisher Henri Le Gras, and figures such as the young Louis XIV an...
About the Artist
Stefano della Bella|Jean Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin|Henri Le Gras|Louis XIV, King of France|Cardinal Jules Mazarin · 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...