Moorish horseman in profile facing right, in the background a pyramid at left, many figures and an elephant, from 'Figures on Horseback' (Cavaliers nègres, polonais et hongrois) 1646 - 1656

Stefano della Bella created this print, "Moorish horseman in profile facing right," using etching, a printmaking technique, sometime before 1664. The etcher protects a metal plate with a waxy coating, then draws through it with a sharp needle. Acid then bites into the exposed lines, allowing for a very free, descriptive line. Here, Della Bella uses this method to great effect. The figures are vividly realized, and we can see how he delighted in the textures of fur and feather. Look closely, and you can almost feel the weight of the riders and animals. Beyond the sheer skill of the drawing, the print gives us a glimpse into a Eurocentric worldview. The relatively loose handling of the background figures contrasts sharply with the crisp depiction of the Moorish horseman. Ultimately, the print's fine lines and tonal variations allow for a complex interplay between artistic skill and the representation of cultural stereotypes, inviting us to consider the social context in which such images were produced and consumed.