Plate 20: Wolf, from "Various animals" (Diversi animali)

Art Historical Context

Behold Plate 20: *Wolf*, from Stefano della Bella's enchanting series *Various Animals* (*Diversi animali*), a testament to 17th-century in printmaking. Created after 1641, this captures the wolf's wild intensity with delicate, fluid lines characteristic of della Bella, a Florentine artist renowned for his lively depictions of nature. Though attributed to him and an anonymous contemporary, it exemplifies the Baroque era's fascination with the natural world, blending scientific observation with artistic flair. As a "reverse copy"—a mirrored impression taken from an inked plate before printing—this small gem (just 3 3/8 × 4 1/16 inches) reveals the intricate process of etching, where acid bites into metal to create tonal depth and texture. Della Bella's technique allowed for remarkable detail in fur and form, making these prints popular among collectors for study and admiration. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection, gifted through the Bequest of Grace M. Pugh in 1985, it invites us to ponder humanity's enduring intrigue with predators. This wolf, fierce yet elegantly rendered, underscores the series' role in documenting fauna, bridging art and early natural history in an age of exploration. A perfect pause for animal lovers!

About the Artist

Stefano della Bella|Anonymous, 17th century · 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...