Mammae 1620 - 1664

"Mammae," a 17th-century etching by Stefano della Bella, depicts a veiled woman standing in profile. The artwork is part of a series of engravings of important women from antiquity, and the inscription below identifies her as the mother of Emperor Alexander Severus, renowned for her wisdom and virtue. The composition, with its focus on the figure against a plain background, is typical of della Bella's style. "Mammae" is a testament to the artist's skill in capturing both the physical and moral qualities of his subjects. The work is now housed in the Rijksmuseum.