Foedraal van een jachthoorn 1849

Crafted by Johannes Mattheus van Kempen, this is a leather case for a hunting horn which resides in the Rijksmuseum. The hunting horn, encased here, has ancient roots—a symbol of the hunt, of aristocratic privilege, and of communication across distances. Consider its earlier forms: the animal horns used to signal during hunts in antiquity. These horns appear in Roman frescoes and medieval tapestries, emblems of power and the chase. Over centuries, the horn evolved, transitioning from simple animal remains to meticulously crafted instruments, yet its primal essence remained unchanged. The buckles, securing the case, are telling. Think of the Roman balteus, a belt worn across the chest to carry a sword. These buckles, like the balteus, signify readiness, a connection to martial and hunting traditions, which for centuries were inextricably intertwined. The case itself acts as protection. Protection, but also a silent promise of the clamor to come.