Françoise Bouzonnet-Stella

Françoise Bouzonnet Stella (1638-1691) was a French copper engraver and pastellist active in Paris during the latter half of the 17th century. Part of a family of woman engravers active in Paris including Claudine Bouzonnet-Stella and Antoinette Bouzonnet-Stella, she is primarily known for Livre de vases, a book of engravings of vases designed by her uncle, the painter Jacques Stella, executed in her sister's studio at the Louvre.

Life

Stella was born around December 1638 to Étienne Bouzonnet, a goldsmith, and Madeleine Stella, who was the sister of the painter Jacques Stella. Part of a family of artists, her siblings were the painter Antoine Bouzonnet-Stella and the engravers Claudine Bouzonnet-Stella and Antoinette Bouzonnet-Stella.

Around 1654, Françoise, her parents, and her older sister Claudine moved to Paris to collaborate with the painter Jacques Stella, Françoise's uncle.

Like her sisters, Françoise specialised in the art of burin engraving, particularly contributing to the dissemination of Jacques Stella’s designs. Unable to equal her sister Claudine in reputation, Françoise focused on contributing to her sister’s work and is recorded as working as her assistant.

Françoise Bouzonnet Stella died on 18 April 1691 in Claudine's apartments at the Louvre, with contemporary burial records stating her age as approximately forty.