1646
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Fantastic Vases is a 1646 ink by Stefano Della Bella, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows five fancy vases lined up in a row. Each one is topped with wild, swirling flowers and leaves that look almost too busy to be real. The vases themselves have strange, curved handles and some even have tiny faces or animals peeking out from the stems. The whole scene feels like a dream—more about imagination than real life. The artist used a technique that lets them create deep shadows and textures just with ink. This kind of drawing was often made as a study or decoration, not just to copy real objects. Next, check out etching to see how artists like this one made such detailed prints.
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.
See the richer artist page
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