Nautilus Cup
Medium
Silver-gilt, nautilus shell
Dimensions
33.3 × 10.6 × 20.1 cm
Classification
Metalwork
Department
Decorative Art and Design
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
J.H. Wade Trust Fund
Accession Number
2023.154
Tags
male
About this artwork
Nautilus shells were brought to the Netherlands from Indonesia. Skilled Dutch silversmiths mounted them in silver, creating luxurious vessels that were sought after by wealthy collectors. Early Dutch nautilus cups are mainly associated with the city of Delft, although only a few other examples made in Delft are known from the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. They feature the dramatic motif of a sea monster’s head.