Plate 17: nine studies of horse heads, from 'Various heads and figures' (Diverses têtes et figures)
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 5/8 x 2 15/16 in. (9.2 x 7.5 cm) Plate: 3 1/4 x 2 5/8 in. (8.2 x 6.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.795.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the bustling artistic circles of 17th-century Europe, Stefano della Bella, a masterful Florentine etcher, captured the noble spirit of horses in *Plate 17: nine studies of horse heads* from his series *Various heads and figures* (*Diverses têtes et figures*), published in 1650 by Israël Henriet. This intimate etching, measuring just over 3 inches across, showcases nine dynamic profiles of equine heads—snarling, alert, and serene—reflecting della Bella's fascination with animal anatomy during the Baroque era. Horses symbolized power and warfare in an age of cavalry and royal hunts, making th...
About the Artist
Stefano della Bella|Israël Henriet · 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...