Nautilus Cup
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.
Details
- Palette
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- Medium
- Silver-gilt, nautilus shell
- Dimensions
- overall: height 0.333 m, width 0.106 m, depth 0.201 m
- Origin
- Netherlands, Holland, Delft
- Department
- Decorative Art and Design
- Holding institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image provider
- cleveland-museum-of-art
- License
- CC0-1.0
- Credit
- Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Art Genome Taxonomy
11 tags
Artistic Disciplines
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Design Metadata · 98%
The Cleveland Museum of Art classifies the work as Metalwork and Decorative Art and Design; it is a functional luxury vessel made by a silversmith.
Subject Matter
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Nautical Both · 99%
The title identifies a Nautilus Cup, the image visibly presents a shell-based vessel with marine-derived imagery, and the catalog discusses nautilus shells and a sea-monster motif.
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Hybrids and Imaginary Creatures Both · 98%
The catalog explicitly describes the dramatic motif of a sea monster’s head, which is clearly visible behind the shell bowl.
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Human Figure Both · 98%
A small standing male figure is visible above the monster head, and the museum’s subject metadata identifies the work as including a male figure.
Visual Qualities
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Highly Ornamented Visual · 99%
Dense applied and incised ornament, scrolling forms, borders, modeled figures, and elaborate decoration cover the shell mounts, stem, and base.
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Iridescence/Opalescence Visual · 99%
The shell displays a pronounced pearlescent, iridescent surface, especially across the broad bowl and left side of the nautilus shell.
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Shiny/Glossy Visual · 96%
The polished silver-gilt mounts and shell surfaces produce strong highlights and a glossy reflective appearance.
Time Periods
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17th Century Art Metadata · 99%
The object is dated 1607.
Geographic Regions
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Dutch Art Metadata · 99%
The artist is identified as Dutch and the place of origin as the Netherlands, Holland, Delft.
Materials
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Silver Metadata · 99%
The catalog identifies the medium as silver-gilt and classifies the object as metalwork; extensive metal mounts are also plainly visible.
Tableware, Vessels, and Objects
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Vessel Metadata · 99%
The title identifies the work as a cup, and the museum describes nautilus cups as vessels.
Source & rights
Cornelis Jansz van der Burch (Dutch, active in Delft, d. 1615). Nautilus Cup. Cleveland Museum of Art.