Cup of the Court of Justice of Voorne and Putten by Anonymous

Cup of the Court of Justice of Voorne and Putten 1701

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carving, silver, metal

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carving

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silver

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baroque

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metal

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decorative-art

Dimensions height 36.5 cm, diameter 12.0 cm, weight 1459 gr

This remarkable cup, crafted anonymously, bears the weight of symbols that resonate through time. Crowning the vessel is an ornate crown, a potent symbol of authority and divine right, studded with crosses that speak of religious power. But let us dive deeper. Notice how the intertwined fish at the base of the cup echo ancient symbols of fertility and abundance, recalling the earliest myths of creation born from watery depths. We might remember how the fish was also adopted as a symbol by early Christians, a secret sign of faith in times of persecution. This cup becomes a vessel, not just for drink, but for the continuous flow of cultural memory, echoing through history. Its symbols are not fixed, but living entities, transformed and re-imagined by each generation that encounters them, drawing on deep, subconscious links between past and present.

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rijksmuseum's Profile Picture
rijksmuseum over 1 year ago

The warden of Voorne and Putten organized an annual dinner for the officials with whom he would adjudicate that year. At this event they all drank from this cup, affirming that they would review the disputes brought before them in concert and without prejudice. The cup is superbly worked with chasing and enamel. The fish on the base of the cup – rock bass, or ‘voorns’ in Dutch – refer to the city of Voorne.

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