Artwork
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. 9 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
Overview
Created in 1646 by Florentine artist Stefano della Bella, this print belongs to a numbered series of ornamental designs. It presents an elaborate decorative frame intended to surround heraldic devices or emblems, exemplifying the artist’s focus on intricate, ornamental motifs within his broader output of etchings.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features a swirling cartouche whose uppermost element is a stylized lion’s head, mouth opened in a silent roar. Below, the frame unfurls into vegetal and cloud‑like forms, suggesting a dynamic, almost theatrical setting that anticipates the placement of a coat of arms or similar insignia.
Technique & Style
Executed with bold, dense lines, the print displays the characteristic baroque vigor of the period. The carving‑like quality of the edges, deep chiaroscuro shading, and the absence of detailed fur or teeth on the lion emphasize a graphic, schematic approach rather than naturalistic rendering, highlighting della Bella’s skill in complex line work.
History & Provenance
Stefano della Bella, born and deceased in Florence, produced this work as part of a larger collection of capricious ornamental studies. The series was circulated among patrons seeking decorative templates for architectural or heraldic projects, reflecting the demand for adaptable ornamental prints in mid‑seventeenth‑century 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.
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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 11
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. 3
Collection of Various Caprices and New Designs of Cartouches and Ornaments: No 7
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 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 16
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. 2, Dedication Page