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The Colossal Statue of the Apennines, from Views of Villa di Pratolino

A work made of etching in black on ivory laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of etching in black on ivory laid paper.

Date:

c. 1653

Artist:

Stefano della Bella
Italian, 1610-1664

About this artwork

On the outskirts of Florence, the Villa di Pratolino and its resplendent gardens and grottoes were built by the grand duke of Tuscany. Francesco de’ Medici constructed it for his mistress, Bianca Cappello, who later became his second wife. This view shows the gigantic statue personifying the Apennine Mountains, a masterpiece made in 1579–80 by the late Renaissance sculptor Giambologna.
The fantastical setting was a fitting subject for Stefano della Bella’s energetic yet delicate linework. His etchings of the Villa di Pratolino were so popular, the plates continued to be printed into the 18th century.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Stefano della Bella

Title

The Colossal Statue of the Apennines, from Views of Villa di Pratolino

Place

Italy (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1652–1655

Medium

Etching in black on ivory laid paper

Dimensions

Image: 24.4 × 38.4 cm (9 5/8 × 15 1/8 in.); Plate: 25.5 × 38.7 cm (10 1/16 × 15 1/4 in.); Sheet: 32.9 × 45 cm (13 × 17 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord Donnelley Fund

Reference Number

1990.501.6

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/121416/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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