Death with an Old Man, from the series The Five Deaths by Stefano della Bella 1648 -
A perfect addition to your wall of curiosities or political satire. You'll make any art history nerd proud ;)
ca. 1648 It was probably during his last years in France that Della Bella began an updated version of the Dance of Death. This typically Northern and medieval subject usually showed Death in a variety of situations, carrying away victims of every age and walk of life. While in France Della Bella etched four oval scenes of Death's conquest, including this print (Death Carrying a Child), three of which take place in cemeteries and the fourth on the battlefield. A horizontal version of Death triumphing in war probably also dates to these years. At the end of his life, della Bella took up the theme again, creating three more episodes in the oval format—two of these were left incomplete at his death. In the early prints particularly, Death is as energetic as he is ruthless—here he rushes into the cemetery bearing a screaming and struggling child. The setting is the Cemetery of the Innocents in Paris, a site with which della Bella was undoubtedly familiar since many publishers and print dealers had their shops on the ground floor of the charnel houses.
8.5 X 11 Inch - Reproductions printed on 24lb parchment paper. Each print will arrive in its own 2-mil magazine polybag with a cardboard backer board to keep it perfectly safe until you're ready to frame.
*Many of these originals are hundreds of years old so it's a given they would be in need of some polishing. Each print has been digitally scanned or photographed from the original and we’ve touched them up to eliminate any major blemishes, distortions, tears or missing parts. If interested in any particular size or print material, please let us know. We can likely pull it off for you.
A perfect addition to your wall of curiosities or political satire. You'll make any art history nerd proud ;)
ca. 1648 It was probably during his last years in France that Della Bella began an updated version of the Dance of Death. This typically Northern and medieval subject usually showed Death in a variety of situations, carrying away victims of every age and walk of life. While in France Della Bella etched four oval scenes of Death's conquest, including this print (Death Carrying a Child), three of which take place in cemeteries and the fourth on the battlefield. A horizontal version of Death triumphing in war probably also dates to these years. At the end of his life, della Bella took up the theme again, creating three more episodes in the oval format—two of these were left incomplete at his death. In the early prints particularly, Death is as energetic as he is ruthless—here he rushes into the cemetery bearing a screaming and struggling child. The setting is the Cemetery of the Innocents in Paris, a site with which della Bella was undoubtedly familiar since many publishers and print dealers had their shops on the ground floor of the charnel houses.
8.5 X 11 Inch - Reproductions printed on 24lb parchment paper. Each print will arrive in its own 2-mil magazine polybag with a cardboard backer board to keep it perfectly safe until you're ready to frame.
*Many of these originals are hundreds of years old so it's a given they would be in need of some polishing. Each print has been digitally scanned or photographed from the original and we’ve touched them up to eliminate any major blemishes, distortions, tears or missing parts. If interested in any particular size or print material, please let us know. We can likely pull it off for you.