Bella, Stefano della (1610-1664), After, Fantasia di Animali, pen and brown ink

Attributed to Stefano della Bella (1610-1664). Griffins guarding a martial cartouche, a hunting dog chasing a hare on the first tier; two eagles supporting a banner with a Roman trophy on the second tier; and two chained dogs, a dog eating grapes and a Roman trophy, probably early 18th century, fine pen and brown ink on laid paper, lined with laid paper with a pen and ink border in brown and rose ink, with an indistinct watermark, sheet size 12.2 x 20.4 cm (4 3/4 x 8 ins) framed and glazed (39 x 31.3 cm)

(Qty: 1)

Provenance: Unidentified owner (partial printed collector's mark of intertwined initials LL or LZ within a black oval, not in Lugt); Weschler's Auctioneers, Washington DC, where purchased in 1972 for $80.

We are grateful to Dr Peter Fuhring of the Fondation Custodia, Frits Lugt Collection for pointing out that all the different elements of the drawing are inspired by three etchings from the series of 16 by Stefano della Bella, Ornamenti et fregi e fogliami, published in Paris shortly after 1647 (see A. de Vesme and P. Massar, Stefano della Bella, Catalogue Raisonné, New York, 1971, numbers 990, 992, and 995). The drawings are in the same direction as the etchings.