Nautilusbokaal, rustend op de rug van een sater 1548

This nautilus cup, resting on the back of a satyr, was imagined by Balthazar van den Bos sometime in the 16th century. It’s an engraving, a printmaking technique where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and used to make impressions on paper. Here, we see a fantastical object that would have been made from precious materials. The nautilus shell, with its pearly interior, gives its name to the cup’s bowl. The rest is pure invention, with a menagerie of figures supporting the vessel, from the satyr to the snail at its base. Prints like this played a crucial role in disseminating design ideas. Goldsmiths, silversmiths, and other artisans would use them as inspiration for their own creations. This image captures a moment in the history of design, when the natural world was being interpreted with increasing exuberance, and when craftspeople were eager to show their technical virtuosity. It reminds us that the exchange of ideas through printed images has long shaped the material world.