Stefano della Bella’s etching, “Pole in Court Dress Leaning on a War Hammer”, c1645

Stefano della Bella (1610–1664)

“Pole in Court Dress Leaning on a War Hammer” (aka “Polish man seen from behind, other man in background” [Rijksmuseum title]), c1645, plate 19 from the series of 24 plates (including the title plate), “Diversi Capricci”, published in Paris by Nicolas I Langlois (1640–1703).

Etching on fine laid paper with a small margin on the top and sides and a larger margin below, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 14.3 x 12 cm; (plate) 8.1 x 10 cm.

Inscribed in plate along the lower edge: (left): “19 Stef della Bella fecit”; (centre) “Cum priuil.”; (right) “N Langlois ex”.

State ii (of iii), lifetime impression before the change of publisher to Pierre Mariette I in state iii (see BM inv. no. X,5.182), or state iii (of iv) as catalogued by De Vesme/Massar (p. 44 [illust.]).

 De Vesme/Massar 146 (Alexandre de Vesme & Phyllis D. Massar, 1971, “Stefano della Bella. Catalogue Raisonné”, New York, Collectors Editions, [text] p. 72, cat. no. 146, [illust.] p. 44, cat. no. 146); Jombert (Della Bella)  139-19 (Charles Antoine Jombert 1772, “Essai d'un catalogue de l'oeuvre d'Etienne de la Belle, peintre et graveur florentin”, Paris, p. 141, cat. no. 139-19).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Plate 19; a Pole in court dress, standing in centre turned towards left leaning on a war hammer, with another Pole behind to right. c.1647 Etching” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_X-5-182). See also the description offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.76687.

Condition: a well-printed impression  with a small margin around the platemark on the top and sides and a generous margin below, laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is a collector’s stamp verso.

I am selling this sensitively executed lifetime impression that may be small in physical size but is very grand in its projection of scale in the sense of wide open space—no doubt resulting at least in part from the “David and Goliath” difference of size between the two figures portrayed—for AU$233 (currently US$171.71/EUR145.83/GBP124.89 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this superb etching by one of the most famous of the old master printmakers, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold 

Stefano della Bella's two etchings of deer, 1641

Stefano della Bella (1610–1664)

Two etchings from the series, “Diversi Animali” (various animals):

(upper) “Plate 15: A Doe Facing to the Right” (Une biche dirigée vers la droite), 1641;

(lower) “Plate 16: A Deer Moving to the Left” (Un cerf allant à gauche), 1641

Etchings on fine laid paper with narrow margins around the platemark.

Lettered on the lower edge: (left) (upper plate) ”15”; (lower plate) ”16”; “Stef. della Bella fecit; (centre) “Cum privilegio”.

Size: (each sheet) 8.8 x 11.1 cm; (plate) 8.3 x 10.7 cm.

State iii (of iii)

De Vesme-Massard 704 and 705 (Alexandre de Vesme & Phyllis D. Massar 1971, “Stefano della Bella: Catalogue Raisonné”, New York, Collectors Edition, vol. 1, page 112; vol. 2, p. 134).

See the description of these prints at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Harvard Art Museums:

(upper plate) https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/377043;

https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/244725?position=9;

(lower plate) https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/377038;

https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/244167?position=10.

Condition: richly inked and well-printed impressions, with a narrow margin around the platemarks. The etching of a doe has a mark on its head (as if it has antlers) otherwise the sheets are in excellent condition for the age of the prints (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions or foxing).

I am selling this pair of etchings—lifetime impressions based on the crisp quality of line showing no sign of wear to the printing plates—by one of the famous of the old master printmakers, for AU$345 (currently US$225.48/EUR204.85/GBP175.18 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing these sensitively executed etchings, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Stefano della Bella's etchings. "The Four Seasons", c.1641

Stefano della Bella (1610 - 1664)

Four plates (“L’Esté” [Summer]; “L'Automne” [Autumn]; “L'Hyver” [Winter]; “Printemps” [Spring]) to the series, “The Four Seasons”, c.1641, published by Israël Henriet (c.1590–1661)

The Curator of the British Museum offers the following insights about the series in which these prints feature:

“Series of four prints representing the seasons …. It was thought by De Vesme that only the human figures in each print were the work of Stefano della Bella, and that the ornament work was done by Abraham Bosse” (see BM no. 1871,0513.641).

Etchings on fine laid paper, trimmed with narrow margins around the image borderline and backed with individual support sheets.

Size of each print with slight variations: (sheet) 9.5 x 5.2 cm; (image borderline) 9.2 x 4.9 cm.

Inscribed on each plate: (within lower cartouche) the title and "Israel excud." or ”Israel. ex.”; (below cartouche at left) "Avec privil.”; (below cartouche at right) “du Roy.”

Condition: well-printed impressions in excellent condition, trimmed close to the image borderline and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper.

I am selling this very rare set of four etching executed by one of the major old masters, for AU$500 in total for the four prints (currently US$339.05/EUR307.93/GBP263.36 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing these small but graphically strong etchings featuring classical figures personifying the four seasons, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This series of etchings has been sold

“L'Esté” (Summer)

De Vesme/Massar 1971 84 (A de Vesme [revised by Phyllis D Massar] 1971, “Stefano della Bella”, New York, Collectors Editions Ltd.)

“Summer; a woman standing in a cornfield crowned with ears of corn, holding a sheaf of corn in her right hand and a scythe in her left hand, within a cartouche surmounted by corn”

(https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1468817&partId=1&searchText=1871%2c0513.642&page=1) 

“L'Automne” (Autumn)

De Vesme/Massar 1971 85

“Autumn; a satyr to left leaning against a tree with a vine wrapped around it, the satyr holding a bunch of grapes in his hand; within a cartouche surmounted by bunches of grapes”

(https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1468813&partId=1&searchText=della+bella+autumn+&page=1)

“L'Hyver” (Winter)

De Vesme/Massar 1971 86

“Winter; an old cloaked man standing in centre warming his hands above a brazier on the ground to left; within a cartouche surmounted by bare branches”

(https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1468810&partId=1&searchText=della+bella+winter&page=1)

“Printemps” (Spring)

De Vesme/Massar 1971 83

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Spring; a young woman standing facing front crowned with a garland of flowers and holding a garland in each hand, within a cartouche ornamented with flowers”

(https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1468820&partId=1&searchText=della+bella+spring&page=1)

Stefano della Bella’s etching, “Travellers in a landscape”, 1656

Stefano della Bella (1610–1664)

“Travellers in a landscape” (Rijksmuseum title), 1656, from the series of six plates, “Landscapes and Harbours”.

Etching on laid paper trimmed with small margins and remargined with a support sheet.

Size: (remargined support sheet) 32.5 x 29.9 cm; (sheet) 14.4 x 14.7 cm; (plate) 13.7 x 14.2 cm; (diameter of circular image borderline) 13.4 cm

Lettered on the plate at lower left edge: "Stef. Della Bella fecit. 1656."

De Vesme/Massar 1971 743.II (A.de Vesme 1971, revised by Phyllis D.Massar, “Stefano della Bella”, New York, p. 113, cat. no. 743); Jombert (Della Bella) 188-1 (Charles Antoine Jombert 1772, “Essai d'un catalogue de l'oeuvre d'Etienne de la Belle, peintre et graveur florentin”, Paris, p. 183, cat. no. 188–1)

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Landscape; a woman riding a horse and a man carrying a bundle, at centre, travelling towards background, with a rustic house behind to right in a plain and a large chestnut tree at front left; a round composition.” (http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1499102&partId=1&searchText=della+bella&page=1)

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

“A woman on horseback and a running man with a knapsack in a landscape. Front left an old chestnut tree. In the background on the right a house.”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.collect.77302)

Condition: crisp, well-inked and well-printed impression in very good condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, abrasions, but with a few minor marks/signs of handling) with small margins (approx. 3mm) and remargined with an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper.

I am selling this round formatted image revealing Della Bella’s early leaning towards the Rocco style for AU$146 in total (currently US$112.28/EUR91.57/GBP80.26 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this light-filled composition with travellers, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold

Sometimes what may seem like a straightforward simple landscape composition has a layering of meanings that makes it special. From my standpoint this is certainly the case with this socially inoffensive and almost decoratively lovely image.

When I look at these travellers portrayed half-concealed from the viewer as they descend from the foreground ridge towards what the British Museum describes as “rustic house” in the middle distance, I am reminded that images of such innocent travellers may have held a curiously interesting meaning for Della Bella. What I am referring to here is the artist’s fellow printmaker, Salvator Rosa, who—perhaps more in myth than in fact—is scandalously rumoured to have engaged with bandits (banditti) preying upon such travellers. Whether or not such ideas were even in Della Bella’s mind at the time of executing this image, I really don’t know. Nevertheless, his choice to feature travellers without doubt carries with it the many issues underpinning his contemporaries’ choice to also include travellers in their landscapes, such as Herman van Swanevelt and Jan Both.

Beyond such hidden meanings, looking at the composition itself, I sense an artist torn between the desire to express the dynamic energy of twisting natural forms and a passion for flat tonal patterns. In terms of Della Bella’s interest in expressing dynamic energy, note the strong flow of modelling marks giving form to the foreground tree trunk. In contrast with the strong directional rhythms of these marks, Della Bella has juxtaposed the contour strokes describing the trunk and branches with relatively flat tonal patterning of foliage textures.

Interestingly, at the time of executing this print the artist had begun to explore ways to replicate in his etchings the broad planes found in his watercolour washes. Although Della Bella did not discover aquatint—that was a technique introduced by Jan van de Velde IV around 1650—Della Bella experimented with a cruder technique of laying dilute washes of acid to flat bite some of his later prints with delicate tonal areas.

Stefano della Bella’s etching of two camels and a pyramid, c.1641

Stefano della Bella (1610–64)

“Two camels, a seated figure and a pyramid” (descriptive title only), c.1641, plate 18 from the series of 24 plates featuring various animals, “Diversi Animali”, published either in 1772 by Pierre François Basan (1723–1797) Paris or in 1818 by HR Young (fl.c.1820).

Note that the curator of the British Museum advises that the series, “Diversi Animali” was “thought by De Vesme [see Alexandre De Vesme’s catalogue raisonné, “Stefano della Bella”, revised by Phyllis D Massar, 1971] to date to c.1648, the series appears to actually date from c.1641 as it is mentioned in an inventory of that year” (see curator’s comment for BM number 1871,0513.560).

Etching on fine laid paper trimmed at the platemark and lined onto a conservator’s support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 8.8 x 10.9 cm

Lettered below image with production detail: "S. della Bella fecit Cum privil."

State iii (of iii).

Regarding the states, the curator of the BM advises that there “are three states of this series: first, without lettering, second with the address of Mariette and third, with the name of Mariette erased and some retouching” (see BM number 1871,0513.560). I understand that there were two editions published in the third state of this print. The first was the 1772 Pierre François Basan edition when he owned the plates and the second was the H.R. Young edition of 1818 (see Alexandre de Vesme’s catalogue raisonné, revised by Phyllis Dearborn Massar (1971), “Stefano della Bella”, pp. 201–02).

De Vesme/Massar 1971 707.III; Charles Antoine Jombert 1772 Cat 140-18

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Plate 18; camel standing, seen from behind, with another camel standing behind to right and a man seated on the ground, and a pyramid behind to left. c.1641” (http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1498329&partId=1&searchText=della+bella+camel&page=1); see also the description of the print at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/377027

Condition: crisp and well-printed impression, trimmed along the platemark. The sheet is in excellent condition and has been laid onto a conservator’s support sheet of millennium quality washi paper.

I am selling this remarkable etching by one of the famous old master printmakers of the late Renaissance/Mannerist period for AU$152 (currently US$115.76/EUR103.63/GBP90.65 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this rare early illustration of a camels near a pyramid, with the camel in the foreground clearly in need of a good drink—based on my reading of its deflated water tanks/humps—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold