Three Camel Heads 1636 - 1646

Stefano della Bella made this print called ‘Three Camel Heads’ in the 17th century. The subject is not typical of the European tradition, which tended to focus on biblical, historical, or mythological themes, and this may reflect the artist’s travels in the Near East. In its own time, the image would have conjured up associations with distant lands, the spice trade, and the Ottoman Empire, and it’s also worth noting that the camel appears in Christian iconography as one of the gifts of the Magi. By representing these animals, della Bella invites us to consider Europe’s relationship with the rest of the world. It encourages the viewer to reflect on cultural exchange, trade, and the representation of the exotic. To understand this print more fully, we could look at historical texts about animal trade, travelogues, and early zoological studies. What did Europeans really know about camels? And how was that knowledge shaped by their own cultural and economic interests?