Four riders in a row at bottom, five riders forming a V above and another rider in the center, from 'La gara delle Stagioni' 1652

This etching, ‘Four riders in a row at bottom, five riders forming a V above and another rider in the center, from 'La gara delle Stagioni’, was made by Stefano della Bella. In it, one is immediately struck by the almost mathematical composition, where the grouping of riders suggests an exercise in spatial arrangement. The linear quality of the etching technique, combined with the repetitive motif of horse and rider, creates a sense of rhythm and order, yet it also hints at underlying tensions between the individual and the collective. Consider how the arrangement of figures might symbolize the social hierarchies of Della Bella’s time, or perhaps how it reflects a broader philosophical interest in systems and structures of power. This work destabilizes any singular interpretation, inviting us instead to consider its multiple layers of meaning. Ultimately, the formal clarity of the composition underscores its conceptual complexity, a hallmark of Della Bella’s engagement with the intellectual currents of his era.