Plate from Frises, Feuillages et Grotesques (Friezes, Foliage and Grotesques)
Medium
ornament
Classification
ornament
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-157-a
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Stefano della Bella, a Italian etcher of the Baroque era (1610–1664), created this plate from his series *Frises, Feuillages et Groques* around 1645. Working primarily in Florence and later Paris, della Bella was for his intricate ornamental prints, which captured the exuberant decorative spirit of 17th-century Europe. work exemplifies his skill in etching delicate designs of friezes, foliage and whimsical grotesques—motifs inspired by ancient Roman discoveries and revived during the Renaissance. Grotesques, fantastical interlacing of vines, mythical creatures, and architectural elements, wer...