Stefano della BELLA (1610-1664)

Della Bella - Le Nozze degli Dei /Selva di Diana / Description: Ballet set in a forest clearing, with pine trees to left and to right; at centre, a row of seven female dancers holding longbows, with a group of nymphs to left and to right gathering flowers; above, Diana seated on clouds with nymphs, all armed with bow and arrows. 1637. in margin below image " Seconda Scena Selva di Diana " and "Alfon.us Parigi.us Inv. Stefa. us Della Bella Deli it e F.". From a series of 8 prints of ballet scenes etched by Stefano dell Bella after designs by Alfonso Parigi. The ballets were associated with an opera for the Marriage of Grand Duke Ferdinand II in 1637. The prints were published in Florence in Le nozze degli dei. Scena grotta di Vulcano depicts a ballet with gods in the sky with Mercury flying towards Vulcan's forge. / Dimensions: 20,20 x 28,60 cm Excellent good inked impression on laid paper trimmed on plate border. Small margin around the image borderline, narrow beneath text line. Vertical middle fold teared in at top. Complete with text line who has a small rubbing at letter E from Scena. / Literature: De Vesme/Massar 1971 920--- Relazione delle Nozze degli dei favola dell'abate Gio: Carlo Coppola alla serenissima Vittoria Principessa d'Urbino Gran Duchessa di Toscana (Florence, 1637) ----Stefano della Bella (1610-1664) was a prodigious Italian printmaker working in Florence under the patronage of the Medicis but most of his prints date from 1639-1650 when he lived in Paris Alfonso Parigi the Younger (1606–1656) was an Italian architect and scenographer, & worked at Palazzo Pitti.