Sultana wearing a turban, in profile to the right, from 'Several heads in the Persian style' (Plusieurs têtes coiffées à la persienne)

Art Historical Context

This delicate etching, *Sultana wearing aban, in profile to right*, is one of several heads rendered in the "Persian style" by Italian master printmaker Stefano della Bella, by Israël Henriet around 1649–50. Della Bella, renowned for his intricate Baroque etchings during his time in Paris, captured exotic subjects amid Europe's growing fascination with Eastern cultures. The profile view evokes classical medallions while nodding to Ottoman or Persian influences, portraying a noblewoman—likely imagined as a sultana—with a striking turban that highlights 17th-century European interpretations of Islamic fashion. Printed as a second state of two on a diminutive sheet (just 4 × 2⅞ inches), this work showcases etching's precision: fine, fluid lines convey texture in the turban's folds and the sitter's poised features. Della Bella's technique, influenced by masters like Jacques Callot, allowed for remarkable detail in such a compact format, making these prints collectible gems for 17th-century connoisseurs. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (gift of Mrs. William Greenough, 1937), this piece reflects the era's cultural curiosity, blending portraiture with Orientalist fantasy to transport viewers to imagined Eastern courts. A testament to printmaking's power, it invites us to ponder how art bridged distant worlds.

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...