The Medici Vase, plate one from The Six Large Views of Rome and the Campagna - Stefano della Bella

John H. Wrenn Memorial Collection

"The Medici Vase, plate one from The Six Large Views of Rome and the Campagna" by Stefano della Bella (1656) Etching and engraving on ivory laid paper.

Commentary

"The Medici Vase, plate one from The Six Large Views of Rome and the Campagna" by Stefano della Bella (1656) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. The print-based method rewards close viewing, where line, texture, and contrast do most of the expressive work. Themes to notice include etching. This piece is held in the source collection's Prints and Drawings collection. Stefano della Bella is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: Stefano della Bella Italian, 1610-1664. The work is cataloged within a Italy cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as etching, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Etching and engraving on ivory laid paper) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (Image: 30.3 × 27.2 cm (11 15/16 × 10 3/4 in.); Sheet; trimmed within plate: 30.9 × 27.5 cm (12 3/16 × 10 7/8 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include etching. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/109413

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data