Artwork
Fantastic Vases
Fantastic Vases is an ink print by the Baroque artist Stefano Della Bella. It dates from 1646 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
The strange mix of shapes and skulls suggests these vases weren’t just for looks—they might have had symbolic meanings too.
This drawing shows six fancy vases lined up in a row. Each one has different shapes and designs—some look heavy with carved handles, others are tall and smooth, and one even holds a weird plant with skulls wrapped around it. The lines are dark and precise, like they were scratched into a metal plate.
The artist signed it as *Stefano della Bella* and marked it *1646*, which might mean this was made that year. The strange mix of shapes and skulls suggests these vases weren’t just for looks—they might have had symbolic meanings too.
Want to see more like this? Check out etching to learn how artists create these kinds of prints.
Overview
Created in 1646, *Fantastic Vases* is an etching by the Florentine artist Stefano della Bella. The print presents a linear arrangement of six ornamental vessels, each rendered with distinct silhouettes and decorative motifs. Della Bella’s signature and date appear on the plate, confirming his authorship and situating the work within his prolific output of prints during the mid‑17th century.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes a variety of vase forms, ranging from robust, handle‑adorned containers to slender, unadorned profiles. One vase contains an unusual botanical element entwined with skulls, hinting at a possible memento mori or allegorical reference. The diversity of shapes and the inclusion of macabre symbols suggest the artist was exploring themes of vanity, mortality, and the decorative arts.
Technique & Style
Executed through the etching process, the image displays crisp, incised lines that convey both the solidity of the vessels and the delicate details of their ornamentation. Della Bella’s hand is evident in the precise hatching and controlled cross‑hatching, which model the surfaces and create subtle tonal contrasts without reliance on heavy shading.
History & Provenance
Stefano della Bella (1610–1664) was a leading Italian printmaker whose career spanned more than a thousand etched plates and an equally extensive body of drawings. *Fantastic Vases* belongs to a period when he was actively experimenting with varied subjects, from military scenes to genre studies, and reflects his interest in decorative objects as a visual motif.
Context
The work emerges from a broader 17th‑century fascination with ornamental design, particularly in the decorative arts of Italy and the Low Countries. Vases, often depicted in still‑life and architectural prints, served as vehicles for displaying wealth, taste, and symbolic content, aligning della Bella’s print with contemporary visual culture.
Legacy
Although della Bella is better known for his narrative prints, *Fantastic Vases* exemplifies his capacity to treat still‑life subjects with the same technical rigor. The piece contributes to the understanding of how etching was employed to document and reinterpret everyday objects, influencing later printmakers who explored the intersection of ornament and allegory.
Artist & collection
Artist
Stefano della Bella (18 May 1610 – 12 July 1664) was an Italian draughtsman and printmaker known for etchings of a great variety of subjects, including military and court scenes, landscapes, and lively genre scenes.
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