Artwork
Stag at Bay
Stag at Bay is an ink print by the Baroque artist Stefano Della Bella. It dates from 1637 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
It’s done on laid paper, meaning the bumpy texture you feel is the original paper style.
This etching shows a stag cornered by hunting dogs with trees behind it. The animal’s tense muscles and wide eyes fill the small sheet. Stefano della Bella made this in 1646, just as the print boom reached Italy.
The print is a restrike—printed long after the artist died. It’s done on laid paper, meaning the bumpy texture you feel is the original paper style.
If this sharp drama grabs you, try another Della Bella, Stefano.
Overview
Stag at Bay is an etching on laid paper created by Florentine artist Stefano della Bella. The print depicts a dramatic hunting scene, with a stag surrounded by dogs, set against a backdrop of trees. Notably, the work is a restrike, printed posthumously from the original plate.
Subject & Meaning
The etching captures a tense moment in a hunting scenario, with the stag's strained muscles and wide eyes conveying intense alarm. The composition focuses on the animal's plight, emphasizing the drama of the chase.
Technique & Style
Executed in etching, the piece showcases della Bella's proficiency in the medium. The laid paper's textured surface adds a tactile quality to the work, characteristic of 17th-century printmaking. The artist's line work conveys dynamic energy, particularly in capturing the stag's distress.
History & Provenance
Originally created in 1646, during the peak of the print boom in Italy, the extant piece is a later restrike, printed after della Bella's death. The artist was prolific, producing over 1,000 etchings and numerous drawings throughout his career.
Context
Stag at Bay reflects della Bella's versatility, as his oeuvre encompassed military scenes, landscapes, and dynamic narratives like this hunting scene. The work's creation coincided with a surge in print popularity in Italy.
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.
![The Flight into Egypt [verso], by Stefano Della Bella](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/stefano-della-bella--the-flight-into-egypt-verso--3a100db72e6d25e3-w320.webp)
