Plate 6: Two studies of children, from "Collection of various doodles and etching proofs" (Recueil de divers griffonnements et preuves d'eauforte)

Art Historical Context

This delicate etching by Stefano della Bella, published around 1646 by François Collignon, offers a charming glimpse into the artist’s creative process. Titled Plate 6 from the “ of various doodles and etching proofs,” the small print captures two profile studies of children rendered with fine, lively lines. Della Bella, a leading 17th-century Italian etcher known for his graceful draftsmanship, often used such informal sketches to explore everyday subjects with the same care he gave to grander scenes. Etching allowed artists like della Bella to achieve remarkable subtlety and spontaneity, qu...

About the Artist

Stefano della Bella|François Collignon · 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...