Plate 9: five heads, two young women at left, a bearded man at upper right, a young woman and a bearded man at bottom right, from 'The Book for Learning to Draw' (Livre pour apprendre à dessiner) 1644 - 1654

This etching, “Plate 9: five heads, two young women at left, a bearded man at upper right, a young woman and a bearded man at bottom right, from ‘The Book for Learning to Draw’ (Livre pour apprendre à dessiner),” is one of a series of plates created by Stefano della Bella between 1644 and 1654. Della Bella’s series was designed to teach aspiring artists how to render the human figure in a variety of poses and expressions. This plate features five different heads in various angles and poses, offering a great example of the artist’s ability to capture detail and nuance in his drawings. This plate is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.