Four landscapes: Shepherd on horseback

Born in Florence in 1610, Stefano della Bella began his career in the studio of a goldsmith, but apart from this early apprenticeship, he was basically self-taught. Before the age of twenty, he had allied himself with the powerful Medici court, which provided him with patronage throughout his career. With the Medici's support, in 1633, della Bella traveled to Rome where he remained until 1639. He already showed an impressively diverse range as well as the highest drawing skills. Like a devoted photographer intent on capturing the major events of his time, della Bella recorded the lavish theatrical pageants of the nobility, daily life and the battlefield realities of the Thirty Years War.

In 1639 della Bella left for Paris where he lived until 1650. There he worked for the publishers Israël Henriet and François Langlois, as well as undertaking work for Pierre Mariette and Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin. His passion for recording contemporary life is confirmed in the diversity of figures found in his prints (one print showing a view of the Pont Neuf in Paris includes no less than 451 discretely formed figures) which range from military scenes to the French countryside.

Returning to Italy in 1650, della Bella produced work for the Medici court in Florence as well as contributing to designs for masques. He died in 1664. Hugely admired in his lifetime, Della Bella fell into neglect in the 19th and early-to-mid 20th century but more recently has been highly regarded again by art historians.

This etching comes from the series <em>Four landscapes</em> (British Museum), and depicts a shepherd on horseback, riding through an attractive but hilly landscape. They have stopped in the middle of the stream, from which the horse drinks. A flock of sheep and goats is behind them, to the left. Our print is part of the so-called King George IV album, acquired by the Dominion Museum, forerunner of Te Papa, in 1910.

Sources:

Auckland Art Gallery, https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/explore-art-and-ideas/artist/1/stefano-della-bella

British Museum Collection online, https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1501742&partId=1&searchText= 1871%2c0513.754&page=1

Getty Museum, http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/artists/11897/stefano-della-bella-italian-1610-1664/

Phyllis D. Massar, 'Presenting Stefano della Bella', https://www.metmuseum.org/pubs/bulletins/1/pdf/3258383.pdf.bannered.pdf

Dr Mark Stocker   Curator, Historical International Art