Studies of Horses in a Landscape c. 1642

Editor: This is Stefano della Bella's "Studies of Horses in a Landscape," created around 1642. It's an ink and pen drawing on paper and it has such a raw, immediate feel. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: What’s most fascinating is thinking about the *making* of this image. Pen and ink—such simple materials, yet Della Bella uses them to create these dynamic forms. He was employed by the Medici, documenting court life and military exercises. Consider this in light of artistic labor: he's not just depicting horses, he’s producing imagery intended for specific audiences, tied to the Medici's power and image. Do you see any evidence of a rushed or laboured creation process? Editor: I see a lot of quick, almost scribbled lines, especially in the background. It does feel like he was trying to capture a fleeting moment. It also strikes me how different the horse on the ground looks – its rendering is far darker, and its presence more grounded, than the lighter horses standing upright. Curator: Exactly! It gets one wondering, then, if different pens and inks were used, perhaps to indicate various stages of his observations. What impact does this shift in materials have on your perception? Editor: It definitely makes the grounded horse feel more present, almost as if it's closer to us, while the others fade into the landscape. It creates depth but also makes me think about how Della Bella valued different perspectives and perhaps experiences in the animal world. Curator: Precisely! This work becomes not just a depiction of horses but a record of Della Bella’s *engagement* with them, informed by the practicalities of his patronage. We're left considering what materials and processes shape not just the artwork, but the very context in which it was created. Editor: That’s a whole new way of looking at a sketch – considering not just *what* is depicted but *how* it came to be.