Artwork
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 18
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 18 is a print by the Baroque artist Stefano Della Bella. It dates from 1646 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
The details in this work are interesting because they show the artist's skill in creating complex patterns.
This painting shows intricate designs and ornaments.
It was created by Stefano Della Bella in 1646.
The details in this work are interesting because they show the artist's skill in creating complex patterns.
The patterns are made up of many small parts, like flowers and leaves.
These parts are arranged in a way that looks balanced and harmonious.
You can learn more about similar designs by looking up the technique of sfumato.
Overview
Created in 1646 by the Florentine draftsman and printmaker Stefano della Bella, this work is a printed sheet titled *Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 18*. It belongs to a larger series of ornamental designs that the artist produced as part of his extensive output of etchings and prints.
Subject & Meaning
The sheet presents a dense arrangement of decorative motifs, including stylised flowers, leaves, and scrolls that interlock to form a harmonious cartouche. The composition functions as a visual catalogue of ornamental elements, offering designers and craftsmen a repertoire of patterns for use in architectural and decorative projects.
Technique & Style
Executed with fine etching lines, the print demonstrates della Bella’s command of delicate hatching and cross‑hatching to render texture and depth. The balanced distribution of motifs reflects the artist’s interest in symmetry and the ornamental aesthetic prevalent in mid‑seventeenth‑century Italian graphic design.
History & Provenance
The piece was produced during a prolific period for della Bella, when he was supplying prints to patrons and workshops across Italy. As part of a numbered series, it would have been circulated among architects, goldsmiths, and book illustrators seeking contemporary decorative models.
Context
In the mid‑1600s, ornamental prints served as pattern books that informed the decorative programmes of Baroque interiors and printed publications. Della Bella’s series fits within this tradition, bridging the gap between fine art printmaking and practical design resources for the decorative arts.
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)
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 11
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 17
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 13
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 15
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No. 4
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 16
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 8
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No. 9
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No. 6
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No. 3
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 10
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 14