大英博物館のインスタグラム(britishmuseum) - 10月29日 18時21分

This weekend we’re highlighting objects from the opulent #Waddesdon gallery. These Renaissance and medieval treasures were collected by Baron Rothschild and bequeathed to the Museum in 1898.
This mounted nautilus shell cup was made in Germany during the 16th century. The nautilus is a squid-like sea creature with mother-of-pearl on the inside of its shell. It’s often said to be a ‘living fossil’ as it has evolved very little over millions of years. They live in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, and were an extremely exotic curiosity at the time.
Here the shell has been carved with Chinese dragons, and set inside a silver-gilt mount. The mount shows a dragon swallowing its prey, and the interior of the shell has been opened up to form the inside of the dragon’s mouth. An infant Hercules sits astride the dragon’s neck, and the hinges on the sides show mermaids in Indian dress. The foot of the mount was made from a mould of a real sea eagle’s claw. The cup would have been an extravagant addition to any wealthy European’s collection of expensive ornaments.
#nautilus #gold #engraving #Rothschild #Renaissance

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