Zes hoofden van mannen 1620 - 1664

Stefano della Bella made this tiny etching, Six Heads of Men, in the 17th century, a time when European artists and audiences were fascinated by the ‘Orient’. The print presents an array of male figures, some sporting turbans, their expressions caught in moments of contemplation. Florence, where Della Bella lived, was a thriving port city at this time. The Medici family, who ruled the city, fostered artistic innovation and collected exotic items. What role did the physical presence of foreigners play? How did that affect the artist's imagination? Etchings like this, which were easily portable, fueled European fantasies of far-off lands. Della Bella was deeply embedded in the artistic institutions of his time. He had close ties to the Medici court and further developed his skills in Rome. We can look to archival sources, such as inventories and travel accounts, to understand better how the artist saw his subjects and how they were viewed by his contemporaries. This etching invites us to consider the complex exchange between cultures in early modern Europe.