Who painted Twenty Pages and Five Turkish Horses?

Twenty Pages and Five Turkish Horses was painted by Stefano Della Bella in 1633.

Where can I see Twenty Pages and Five Turkish Horses?

Twenty Pages and Five Turkish Horses is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Twenty Pages and Five Turkish Horses?

Twenty Pages and Five Turkish Horses is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Twenty Pages and Five Turkish Horses

Stefano Della Bella , 1633

Twenty Pages and Five Turkish Horses is an ink print by the Baroque artist Stefano Della Bella. It dates from 1633 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1633, the etching titled *Twenty Pages and Five Turkish Horses* is a print by the Florentine artist Stefano della Bella (1610–1664). Della Bella was a prolific draughtsman and printmaker whose output included more than a thousand prints and a comparable number of drawings, covering a wide range of themes from military actions to everyday scenes.

Subject & Meaning

Annotations beneath the scene identify individual horses and riders, noting, for example, a horse named “Rubino” embellished with gold detailing.

The image presents a linear procession of mounted figures, each rider attired in identical feathered headgear, long coats and high boots. The horses display varied poses, some calmly advancing while others rear dramatically, set against an unadorned dark sky. Annotations beneath the scene identify individual horses and riders, noting, for example, a horse named “Rubino” embellished with gold detailing.

Technique & Style

Executed as an etching, the work demonstrates della Bella’s facility with fine line work and intricate compositional planning. The artist’s hand is evident in the delicate rendering of textures—feathers, fabric folds, and the musculature of the horses—while the stark background heightens the focus on the figures and their ornamental dress.

History & Provenance

Della Bella produced the print during a period when he was establishing his reputation across Italy and beyond. Though specific ownership records for this particular sheet are scarce, it belongs to the broader corpus of his early prints, which were widely circulated among collectors and connoisseurs in the mid‑seventeenth century.

Artist & collection

Artist

Stefano Della Bella

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.