Plate 24: donkeys, from 'Various animals' (Diversi animali) 1636 - 1646

Stefano della Bella created this print, Plate 24: Donkeys, from 'Various animals,' using etching, a medium that lends itself to fine detail. The composition stages the donkeys within a carefully structured landscape. Notice how the artist employs line to define the forms and textures. Della Bella uses hatching and cross-hatching to create a sense of depth and volume. The tonal gradations, achieved through varying densities of lines, give the donkeys a tangible presence, contrasting with the open space of the sky. The arrangement of the donkeys, from the resting figure on the left to the grazing one on the right, creates a sense of movement across the picture plane. Della Bella plays with the conventional expectations of animal portraiture. His approach is not merely representational; he seems interested in the structural aspects of form and how they interact within a defined space. This work destabilizes the traditional hierarchy between subject and background.