2 drawings with figure studies.

2 drawings, pen and brown ink, brown wash, 9,4 x 12,6 and 9,1 x 13,2 cm, laid paper, unsigned (some brown spots sl. affecting the image, upper and lower right corners of one folio trimmed, old glue traces at corners, minor dampstains).

Under passe-partout.

One sheet with a representation of two horses and a horseman at an Italian drinking fountain. The second drawing contains 7 figure studies of peasants and beggars which were so typical of Della Bella's satirical style. He was heavily influenced by Callot both in subject matter as in drawing style. Della Bella left several thousand drawings and our two sheets compare very well in style, technique and used paper with signed and attributed drawings such as a study sheet in the British Museum (1946,0413.197).
Ref. A. Blunt, "The drawings of Castiglione and Stefano Della Bella in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen at Windsor Castle", London 1954.