Mes met een heft in de vorm van een monnik met een rozenkrans
c. 1650 - c. 1700
Medium
boxwood (knife handle), silver (band), steel (blade)
Dimensions
2; 8.5; 23; 3
About this artwork
length 23 cm (total)
Art Historical Context
This exquisite pocket knife, titled *Mes met een heft in vorm van een monnik een rozenkrans* (Knife with a Handle in the Form of a with a Rosary), to around 1650–1700 and was crafted by an anonymous artist. The handle, intricately carved from dense boxwood—a favored medium for its fine grain and ability to hold exquisite detail—depicts a robed monk clutching a rosary, symbolizing Catholic devotion. A silver band adorns the base, while a sturdy steel blade extends the total length to 23 cm (handle: 8.5 × 3 × 2 cm), blending utility with artistry. Boxwood carving flourished in 17th-century Nort...
About the Artist
anonymous
In the vast tapestry of art history, "Anonymous" stands not as a singular individual but as a collective designation for countless unidentified creators whose works have endured across millennia. These artists, spanning prehistoric cave painters to medieval illuminators and folk craftsmen, produced the foundational layers of human visual culture. Prior to the Renaissance, when individual fame emer...