Artwork
The Great Stair-Case
The Great Stair-Case is an ink print by the Baroque artist Stefano Della Bella. It dates from 1653 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1653, *The Great Stair‑Case* is an etching on laid paper by Stefano della Bella, a Florentine draftsman noted for his prolific printmaking. The image depicts a broad, symmetrical staircase ascending toward a formal building flanked by twin spires, populated with figures and a small dog, all rendered in fine linear detail.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents an architectural setting that combines a grand stairway with a balanced façade, suggesting a public or ceremonial space. The presence of pedestrians and a dog introduces a genre element, emphasizing everyday activity within an ordered, monumental environment.
Technique & Style
Executed through etching, della Bella employed delicate lines to delineate architectural features, foliage, and clothing textures. The use of laid paper provides a subtle tonal background, while the precise incisions convey depth and movement across the stairwell and surrounding landscape.
History & Provenance
Della Bella produced over a thousand prints and numerous drawings during his career, though only a single painting is recorded. *The Great Stair‑Case* belongs to his extensive output of architectural and genre scenes, reflecting the breadth of his 17th‑century Italian printmaking practice.
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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Landscape with Classical Ruins
View in the Garden of a Roman Villa, with the Temple of Hercules Victor and the Temple of Portunus
H Beard Print Collection
Mestre
The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea of 1770: The Fish Market Portico
View of the Church "Quattro Santi Coronati"
Landscape View
The Fountains of Rome (Le fontane di Roma), Book IV, plate 7: Fountain of the Tiburtine Sibyl (Fontana della Sibilla Tiburtina)
H Beard Print Collection
Place de Louis XV
The Water Spray
Les Soirées de Rome: The Stairs