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Virgin Mary Nursing the Christ Child. From the "Various Religious Subjects" Series

Stefano della Bella

Basic information

ID: Г-IV-907
Author: Stefano della Bella
Name: Virgin Mary Nursing the Christ Child. From the "Various Religious Subjects" Series
Country: France
Technique: etching
Material: paper
Dimensions: 14 x 14 cm (height x width)

Additionally

Type: graphic art
Genre: religious
Plot: Madonna. The Virgin Mary and Christ Child
Provenance: Received from the Lviv Historical Museum, 1954

Information about author

Author: Stefano della Bella
Author in the original: Stefano della Bella
Artist's lifetime: 1610–1644
Country: Italy
Biography: Stefano della Bella (Italian: Stefano della Bella; 1610, Florence – 1664, ibid.). A prominent Italian artist, engraver and etcher of the Early Baroque period, Stefano della Bella was one of the most prolific European printmakers of the 17th century. Following the untimely death of his father, the youth began training in a goldsmith's workshop. Around 1623, he moved to the workshop of the engraver Orazio Vanni, where he mastered the basic techniques of printmaking. Later, he refined his etching technique in the workshop of Remigio Cantagallina – the mentor of the famous French master Jacques Callot. Copying Callot's works significantly influenced the formation of della Bella's own refined artistic style.
During this same period, the artist secured the patronage of the Medici family, who supported him throughout his life. In 1633–1639, funded by his primary patron, Prince Lorenzo de' Medici (uncle of Ferdinand de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany), the artist lived and studied in Rome. There, he immediately received major commissions and made numerous sketches of park ensembles, villas, palaces and ancient ruins, which he later incorporated into his engravings.In Rome, della Bella met the French printmakers Israel Henriet and François Langlois, thanks to whom he moved to Paris in 1639. In France, the artist quickly achieved immense popularity, establishing close and successful collaborations with them, as well as with the leading Parisian publisher Pierre Mariette. His etchings were in high demand among European collectors. In 1650, due to anti-Italian unrest in France (the Fronde), the engraver returned to his native Florence. During this late period, he significantly diversified his favourite themes, creating a series of hunting scenes, landscapes with Roman ruins and detailed depictions of horsemen.
Over his lifetime, Stefano della Bella created more than a thousand unique etchings and thousands of drawings. He worked across battle, landscape, animal, ornamental and genre scenes, capturing the events of his time with documentary precision – from the lavish theatrical pageants of the Florentine nobility to the harsh realities of the Thirty Years' War and the everyday street life of European cities. He became famous for his jewelry-fine, filigree-detailed miniature works.

Object description

The work comes from the "Various Religious Subjects" series, created by the artist shortly after his arrival in Paris in 1641. The first publisher of della Bella's prints was Pierre Mariette – a well-known Parisian publisher and art dealer.
The composition depicts the Virgin Mary as a young and beautiful woman. She sits with her back to the viewer, turning her head to the left, and tenderly holds the Christ Child to her breast. The figures are positioned against a background of light, airy drapery of a curtain in the upper left part of the composition. On the right, a view opens through an implied window, where a landscape with hills and clouds in the sky is indicated with delicate strokes, adding depth to the space.
The work demonstrates Stefano della Bella's signature refined technique. Thanks to the masterful use of the etching stroke, the artist creates smooth transitions of chiaroscuro, conveying the softness of the folds of the Virgin Mary's clothing and the delicate texture of her skin. The image is full of intimacy, deep lyricism, tranquility, and maternal tenderness, characteristic of Baroque interpretations of this classic religious subject.

Inscriptions

At the bottom of the sheet on the left: "Stef. de la Bella fecit", in the centre: "Cum privilegio Regis" (with Royal privilege), on the right: "Mariette excudit". On the mounting cardboard beneath the sheet of the print on the right, closer to the centre, the current gallery collection number in pencil: "№ Г-IV-907".

Legal regulation

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery

Virgin Mary Nursing the Christ Child. From the "Various Religious Subjects" Series

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