Image: Dutch - Nautilus Cup - Walters 57989 - Profile

Description: Shells of the pearly chambered nautilus were imported from the Indian and Pacific Oceans as natural marvels because of the lustrous beauty of the shell when polished and its amazing interior structure. A luxurious drinking vessel for court feasts, this cup underscores the host's magnificence and power over nature. Goldsmiths designing the mounts for these shells gave free rein to their imaginations, fashioning figures such as Atlas, a legendary titan of Greco-Roman mythology, who was said to balance the heavens on his back. The artist playfully calls attention to the artful contradictions of the piece. Although the shell is very light, Atlas' muscles are flexed in strain.
Title: Nautilus Cup
Credit: Walters Art Museum: Home page  Info about artwork
Author: Anonymous (Netherlands)
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Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No