Scope and Content of Collection

From Della Bella's extensive oeuvre, this collection consists of merely four suites of etchings, all primarily decorative and all etched by Della Bella himself. Agreable diversité de figures depicts genre scenes of people and animals in France, mostly in rural settings (11 prints). The two suites of ornament prints depict fantastic vases ( Raccolta di vasi diversi, 6 prints) and panels of grotesques ( Ornamenti o grotesche, 12 prints). The final set depicts the Medici Villa Pratolino and its gardens near Florence, designed by Bernardo Buontalenti and constructed 1569-86 (6 prints).

These prints were part of the art books collection of Theodore Besterman (1904-1976).

Arrangement note

The prints are arranged in their 4 respective suites.