Personalities Bella, Stefano della

Artist and engraver. At first he studied to be a jeweler and medallist, from 1623 at the engraver Orazio Vanni; then he studied painting with Giovanni Battista Vanni and Cesare Dandini. Della Bella's first independent attempts refer to 1626-1627, when he worked in Florence. In 1633–1639, he studied in Rome at the expense of the famous patron of Grand Duchy of Tuscany Lorenzo Medici. Sometimes he visited Florence, where he made decorations for celebrations on order. He acquired the art of graphics in the studio of Remigio Cantagallina, who was a teacher of Jacques Callot. Stefano della Bella copied Callot's graphic works, the artistic style of the latter significantly influenced his own works. Approximately in 1640 he moved to Paris, where he made engravings for the French publisher and engraver Israël Henriet. In 1650 the artist returned to Italy. He spent the last years of his life in Florence.