Hoofd van jongeman met baret met pluimen, in profiel naar links 1620 - 1664

Stefano della Bella created this etching of a young man in a plumed beret sometime in the mid-17th century. Here we see the fashions of the court being circulated to a wider public. Della Bella was an Italian printmaker, who spent a long time in Paris working for the French Royal court. This print bears the inscription 'Avec privilege du Roy', meaning that it was produced with the permission of the King. This was essentially an early form of copyright, which gave Della Bella the exclusive right to produce and sell this image. These privileges became increasingly important in the 17th century as printmaking became a more commercial enterprise. The print also speaks to the social and political function of art. The image of the bereted young man signifies wealth, status, and belonging to the courtly milieu. Prints like this one were a way of disseminating images of power and prestige, and of shaping public perceptions of the monarchy. The image would have been circulated widely across Europe, so it offers us an insight into the workings of early modern media and its role in shaping the social and political landscape.