1644
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Mythological Playing Cards is a 1644 ink by Stefano Della Bella, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a set of 12 small black-and-white prints arranged like playing cards. Each one shows dramatic scenes with people, animals, and wild landscapes. The lines are sharp and busy, full of movement. The artist used a method called etching to carve the design into metal. This let them create lots of detail in the shadows and textures. Next, check out etching to see how this technique works.
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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