Exempla of decorative elements in the 17th century in Bologna, the relationships with France and the heritage of Agostino Mitelli

Abstract

During the 17th century Bologna had a very remarkable chalcographic production that included models which taught beginners to draw. This typology of engraving was extremely successful and not only models of anatomical details, but also decorative elements were printed. The first and most important character of the ornamental production was Agostino Mitelli, who, since 1636, put into print two series of cartouches and ornamental elements of his own invention. These series were of particular interest for the refinement of the proposed solutions and their huge success brought to some reissues. Thanks to Stefano della Bella, who had a mutual and profitable relationship with Agostino, those series were in fact reprinted in France. Furthermore Stefano della Bella made an important publishing venture in France by printing various series of ornamental elements which were owned and studied by Agostino himself.

The production formulated by this great fresco painter continued in Bologna thanks to his son Giuseppe Maria Mitelli and his scholar Domenico Santi who proposed mannered solutions compared to those of his own teacher.