A young boy holding a young leopard in his arms, the mother leopard laying below, from 'Ornaments or Grotesques' (Ornamenti o Grottesche) 1650 - 1656

This print, made by Stefano della Bella sometime in the 17th century, belongs to a suite of decorative grotesque designs. It was created using etching, a printmaking technique that relies on acid to bite lines into a metal plate. Notice the intricate details, achieved through careful control of the etching process. The plate would have been covered with a waxy ground, through which the artist scratched his design. Then, acid would have been applied, eating away at the exposed metal. This demanding method allowed della Bella to achieve a remarkable range of tones and textures, from the soft fur of the leopards to the delicate foliage. Prints like this were luxury commodities, produced in multiples, and sold in a market that connected artists, publishers, and consumers. They demonstrate the increasing commercialization of art, and the rise of a culture centered around collecting and display. They also reveal the surprisingly labor-intensive processes that underpin even seemingly effortless works of art. Ultimately, this print invites us to consider how artistic skill, technical innovation, and the dynamics of the art market intersect.