head of an old man with a bushy beard, looking up, in profile from PL

Head of bearded old man, in profile to the left, looking upwards, plate 17 from "I principii del disegno" (The Principles of Design), c. 1641

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The accomplished Florentine etcher and draftsman Stefano della Bella produced this drawing manual in France, where he spent over a decade of his career. The book, now disassembled, comprised 25 etchings and was published by della Bella’s principal French publisher Pierre Mariette.

Drawing manuals were common teaching tools for artists and amateurs learning to draw in the 16th and 17th centuries. It is a kind of pattern book for the aspiring draftsmen to copy, with concise prints depicting body parts—ears, eyes, hands, feet—and a range of head studies and figure types—children, adolescents, young women, old soldiers and saints—which provide models for students seeking to master the representation of the human body.

Details
Title
Head of bearded old man, in profile to the left, looking upwards, plate 17 from "I principii del disegno" (The Principles of Design)
Artist Life
Italian (Florence), 1610–1664
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2016.62.17
Provenance
Augusto Calabi (born 1890), Milan; 'by descent to Lorenzo Calabi, Milan; [James Bergquist, Newton, Mass., until 2016; given to Mia]
Catalogue Raisonne
De Vesme 380, i/ii
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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head of an old man with a bushy beard, looking up, in profile from PL