 |
| Children Watching A Puppet Show Stefano della Bella Crown Copyright The Royal Collection Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II |
Oddly enough, here’s another drawing which I’ve not seen before. This one is by an Italian artist with a sing-song name, Stefano della Bella (1610-1664). The work of black chalk, pen and ink was purchased by King George III from Consul Joseph Smith in 1762, and depicts a group of children watching a puppet show. A young mother holds her child on her lap so that the baby can see the show, too.
I am familiar with a similar drawing by Della Bella which is housed at the British Museum. While the subjects are similar, the example in the British Museum includes a bagpiper accompanying the show.
Given the age of the piece, the paper has deteriorated a bit and the other sketches on the verso are visible.
Obviously, the drawing is incomplete, and, is clearly a study for another work—perhaps a painting.
No comments:
Post a Comment