Stefano Della Bella: Capriccio and Fantasy

Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University

NOW CLOSED

During the 17th century, Europeans voraciously collected prints for their capacity to instruct and entertain. This installation features a selection of etchings from the 1640s that Florentine artist Stefano Della Bella (1610-1664) designed to delight the eye. These prints, called capriccios, are intended to be decorative and beautiful. Their iconography can be erotic, irrational, playful, morbid, graceful, or violent-anything to stimulate the viewer’s imagination while showcasing Della Bella’s exceptional dexterity and capacity for invention.

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