1642
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Forest with Deer Hunt is a 1642 ink by Stefano Della Bella, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows a group of riders on horseback chasing deer through a wooded area. The trees are thick and dark, with tangled branches, while the riders and animals are sketched in quick, loose lines. A river runs along the bottom, and the whole scene looks like it’s caught in motion. The artist used a technique that lets ink sit in the grooves of the metal plate, creating sharp contrasts between light and dark. This method makes the trees look almost three-dimensional. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this one made prints before photography.
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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