Accession Number1960/2.43
TitleI principii del disegno. Series of 25, NO. 22. Head of an Old Man Crowned with
Artist(s)Stefano della BellaArtist NationalityItalian (culture or style)Object Creation Datecirca 1649Medium & Supportetching on paperDimensions 4 ⅝ in x 5 ⅞ in (11.75 cm x 14.92 cm);14 in x 19 in (35.56 cm x 48.26 cm);14 in x 19 in (35.56 cm x 48.26 cm)
Credit LineMuseum PurchaseLabel copy
These portraits of elderly men in three-quarter view are similar in composition, subject matter, and precision of execution. Their purposes, however, were different. The drawing is a unique work that may have been intended as a preparatory sketch for a larger work of art—a form of visual notation through which the artist developed his ideas. The etching, however, is a finished work; as a print, it could be produced in multiples and disseminated to a wider audience. In both works the subject is closely observed, but the drawing presents greater variety of line. Smoother and more regulated lines define the forms in the etching, and there is a shaper contrast between light and dark.
Primary Object ClassificationPrintCollection AreaWesternRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Keywords
head
heads (animal components)
king
man