The altar of the holy sacrament; at left, the sacrament beneath a canopy, carried in procession and followed by the Louis XIV and Anne of Austria heading towards a large arched structure, spectators at left and right kneel in front of tapestries after Raphael
ca. 1648
Medium
Etching; third state of eight
Dimensions
Sheet: 13 3/8 × 18 15/16 in. (33.9 × 48.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.922
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the etching *The Altar of the Holy Sacrament* (ca. 1648), Stefano della Bella captures a grand religious procession unfolding with regal splendor. At left, the sacrament is borne beneath an ornate canopy, followed closely by the young Louis XIV and his mother, Anne of Austria, as they process toward a monumental arched structure. Kneeling spectators line the scene on both sides, their reverence amplified by lavish tapestries after Raphael adorning the backdrop. This third state of eight from della Bella's plate showcases the artist's evolving refinements, with intricate lines building depth...
About the Artist
Stefano della Bella · 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...