Cup
ca. 1580 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This exotic coconut shell is carved with scenes of the Passion of Christ. Certain decorative elements on the mounts have close parallels to works from Nürnberg and Amsterdam, revealing the internationalism of the Renaissance goldsmith's craft.
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Schatzkammer is one of the few collections of its kind formed in the late 20th century. The Schatzkammer, or treasury, was a new concept in the 16th century. It referred to a special chamber in which the most precious artefacts of a princely collection were housed. Gold and jewelled objects were mounted alongside exotic natural curiosities, including rock crystal, nautilus shells and ostrich eggs. Together they demonstrated not only the wonders of nature and the technical achievements of the artist, but also the intellect and culture of the patron.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Schatzkammer is one of the few collections of its kind formed in the late 20th century. The Schatzkammer, or treasury, was a new concept in the 16th century. It referred to a special chamber in which the most precious artefacts of a princely collection were housed. Gold and jewelled objects were mounted alongside exotic natural curiosities, including rock crystal, nautilus shells and ostrich eggs. Together they demonstrated not only the wonders of nature and the technical achievements of the artist, but also the intellect and culture of the patron.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Raised, cast, chased, pierced and etched silver-gilt; carved coconut shell |
| Brief description | Silver-gilt and carved coconut shell cup and cover, Lüneburg, ca.1580. |
| Physical description | The spreading spool-shaped foot of the cup is chased around the border with a band of gadroons and strapwork on punched matted ground and around the raised central section with flowers and strapwork, with three applied demifigure-scroll brackets above. Additional bands of gadroons are chased at the base of the coconut bowl and beneath the lip, and the two bands are linked by three pierced vertical straps of scrolls and masks. The slightly spreading lip is etched with a band of exotic birds and scrolling foliage. The domed cover is chased with flowers and strapwork similar to that on the raised centre of the foot, with a finial in the form of the Virgin Mary above a spool-shaped plinth with a laurel border. The coconut is carved with twelve scenes illustrating the Passion of Christ. The scenes are, on the upper register, the Entry into Jerusalem, Christ on the Mount of Olives, the Betrayal, Christ before Caiaphas, the Flagellation, the Mocking of Christ, and, on the lower register, Christ before Pilate, the Way to Calvary, the Crucifixion, the Deposition, the Entombment, and the Resurrection. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | (Gallery 70, case 6)
11. Coconut cup and cover
About 1580
This coconut shell is carved with scenes from
the Passion of Christ. The combination of
detailed carving, biblical imagery and an
exotic coconut make for a fascinating object.
The mounts have decorative elements that are
similar to those on works from Nürnberg and
Amsterdam, revealing the international nature
of design more than 400 years ago.
Lüneburg, Germany; maker’s mark AV
Coconut shell and gilded silver
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.63:1, 2-2008(16/11/2016) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Frederic Spitzer, Paris. Acquired by Arthur Gilbert from S.J. Phillips Ltd, London, 1983. |
| Production | Maker's mark AV in monogram |
| Subjects depicted | The Passion of Christ Gadroons Strapwork Flowers Half Figures Scrolls (Motifs) Masks (Design Elements) Birds Scrolling Foliage Laurel (Foliage) Virgin Mary Entry Into Jerusalem Betrayal of Christ Christ Led Before Caiaphas The Flagellation Mocking of Christ, The Christ Before Pontias Pilate The Road to Calvary The Crucifixion Deposition From the Cross The Entombment of Christ Resurrection |
| Summary | This exotic coconut shell is carved with scenes of the Passion of Christ. Certain decorative elements on the mounts have close parallels to works from Nürnberg and Amsterdam, revealing the internationalism of the Renaissance goldsmith's craft. The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Schatzkammer is one of the few collections of its kind formed in the late 20th century. The Schatzkammer, or treasury, was a new concept in the 16th century. It referred to a special chamber in which the most precious artefacts of a princely collection were housed. Gold and jewelled objects were mounted alongside exotic natural curiosities, including rock crystal, nautilus shells and ostrich eggs. Together they demonstrated not only the wonders of nature and the technical achievements of the artist, but also the intellect and culture of the patron. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.63:1, 2-2008 |
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| Record created | June 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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