Artwork
Caprices: Marine
Caprices: Marine is a print by the Baroque artist Stefano Della Bella. It dates from 1642 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The print depicts two vessels colliding with a craggy shoreline, their hulls shattered by turbulent waves and billowing smoke.
Created circa 1642, *Caprices: Marine* is an etching by the Florentine draughtsman Stefano della Bella. The print depicts two vessels colliding with a craggy shoreline, their hulls shattered by turbulent waves and billowing smoke. It exemplifies della Bella’s prolific output of more than a thousand prints, despite his singular surviving painting, and is presently held by the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a dramatic maritime disaster, emphasizing the vulnerability of human craft against nature’s fury. By portraying the wrecked ships amid crashing surf and rising smoke, the image conveys a sense of chaos and peril, inviting viewers to contemplate the transitory nature of life and the power of the sea.
Technique & Style
Della Bella employs rapid, sketch‑like lines that convey motion and turbulence. The etching’s jagged strokes and stark contrasts create a sense of immediacy, aligning it with the Baroque aesthetic of heightened drama and dynamic energy. The artist’s handling of line and texture enhances the impression of splintering timber and frothing water.
History & Provenance
Part of a larger series of capricci—imaginative, often fantastical scenes—this marine etching reflects della Bella’s versatility across subjects such as military engagements, landscapes, and genre scenes. Although the artist produced only one known painting, his prints circulated widely in the 17th century. The work entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection, where it remains on display.
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)
