1656
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
The Vase of the Medici is a 1656 ink by Stefano Della Bella, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows a fancy marble vase sitting on a pedestal. Around it, three sculpted figures stand or lean—one nude, one in flowing robes, and one with a dog. In the background, tall columns and a building with a spire frame the scene. Below, a woman in a dark dress sits reading, while another person stands nearby, looking up at the vase. The text at the bottom says it’s from the Medici gardens in Rome, hinting at wealth and history. The artist used fine lines to show texture, like the folds in the woman’s dress or the vase’s carvings. Next, look up etching to see how artists like Della Bella made such sharp details.
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
![The Flight into Egypt [verso]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/3a100db72e6d25e3/thumb.webp)
