Nautilus Shell Cup
c. 1600 (mounts altered 1800s)
Medium
Nautilus shell, ink, and gilded silver
Dimensions
26.1 × 16.1 × 10.2 cm (10 1/4 × 6 5/16 × 4 in.)
Classification
silver
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
61494
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
During the Age of Discovery, European artists were inspired by the exotic materials suddenly available to them. Goldsmiths seized on the opportunity to include wondrous and seemingly magical materials—including coconuts (see the Coconut Cup), ivory, ostrich eggs, and, in this case, a nautilus shell from the Indian Ocean—into works of art that celebrated both nature and artifice. These types of object were also popular with collectors during the 19th century, when the mounts on this cup were rewo...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...