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Cup

Cup

  • Place of origin:

    Warsaw, Poland (made)
    Italy (made)

  • Date:

    1770 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Martin, Jean (made)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Nautilus shell mounted in gold set with onyx, chalcedony and glass intaglios and one cameo. The central intaglio on the shell is blue glass

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Mrs Carew from the Faquhar Matheson Collection

  • Museum number:

    M.281-1921

  • Gallery location:

    Jewellery, room 91 mezzanine, case 65, shelf B, box 4

  • Download image

The Neo-classical passion for engraved gems and cameos is expressed in this cup made from a nautilus shell. It was mounted with engraved gems, including copies of famous stones, for the last king of Poland, Stanislaus Augustus, in 1770. The central intaglio on the shell is a copy in blue glass of Diomedes stealing the palladium (the Felix Gem in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford).

Physical description

cup made from nautilus shell mounted in gold set with sardonyx, chalcedony and paste (glass) intaglios, and one layered agate cameo, the base and cover mother of pearl, signed 'J.MARTIN FAIT A VARSOVIELE 26 AOUT 1770', Poland (Warsaw), 1770

Place of Origin

Warsaw, Poland (made)
Italy (made)

Date

1770 (made)

Artist/maker

Martin, Jean (made)

Materials and Techniques

Nautilus shell mounted in gold set with onyx, chalcedony and glass intaglios and one cameo. The central intaglio on the shell is blue glass

Marks and inscriptions

'J.MARTIN FAIT A VARSOVIE LE 26 AOUT 1770'

Dimensions

Height: 24 cm, Weight: 15.5 cm, Depth: 11.2 cm

Object history note

Historical significance: The cup is one of Jean Martin's first commissions for King Stanislaus Augustus (1769-1791) as Court Jeweller in Warsaw between 1769-91. It is recorded in the royal accounts as having been ordered in 1770 and was clearly designed as a vehicle for displaying cameos.

Descriptive line

Nautilus shell cup mounted in gold set with onyx, chalcedony, glass intaglios and one cameo. The central intaglio on the shell is a copy in blue glass of Diomedes stealing the Palladium. Made by Jean Martin and dated 1770 , Poland (Warsaw)

Materials

Gold; Glass; Chalcedony; Shell; Onyx

Subjects depicted

Hercules; Diana; Eros

Categories

Containers; Metalwork; Jewellery

Collection code

MET

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Qr_O112779
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