1652
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Twenty-Four Cavaliers in Double S Formation is a 1652 ink by Stefano Della Bella, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows 24 riders on horseback arranged in pairs, moving in a tight, diagonal pattern. Their horses are mid-gallop, legs stiff and hooves raised. The riders wear tall feathered headdresses, loose shirts, and hold spears or lances—some even wave flags. Notice how the artist packed so many figures into one small space without crowding. The lines are sharp and precise, almost like a quick study of motion. Want to see how this technique works up close? Look up etching.
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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