Studio Project 1 - Artist Inspiration

Frieze with Tritons and Dolphins, Plate 13 from: 'Decorative friezes and foliage' (Ornamenti di fregi e fogliami) - ca. 1648

- Stefano della Bella - Italian draughtsman and printmaker known for etchings of a great variety of subjects, including military and court scenes, landscapes, and lively genre scenes. He left 1052 prints, and several thousand drawings, but only one known painting. He was born and died in Florence, Italy.

- Della Bella began his career in the studio of a goldsmith, but apart from this early apprenticeship, della Bella 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. During these six years, he honed his drawing skills. He largely avoided studios and worked outdoors, recording ancient and modern buildings, the countryside, public spectacles, and the daily activities of the Roman people. Della Bella would later mine his sketchbooks for figures and backgrounds for his prints.