1656
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Two Riders Passing Near a Herd of Animals is a 1656 ink by Stefano Della Bella, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows two people on horseback riding past a herd of sheep. One rider wears a wide-brimmed hat, while the other stands nearby holding a horse’s reins. In the background, a woman tends to the flock, and a large tree stands on a hillside. The scene is detailed with rolling hills and distant buildings. The artist used fine lines to create texture, especially in the animals’ fur and the tree’s bark. This method is called *etching*—acid bites into metal plates to make the lines. Look up technique: etching to see how it 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.
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