Kylelee

Elie Saab Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2017.

Covered Cup Made from Rhinoceros Horn with Warthog Tusks – Nikolaus Pfaff (1611)

Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Kunstkammer

Nikolaus Pfaff carved the rhinoceros horn, while the identity of the goldsmith who created the mounts remains unknown. The metalwork follows the traditions of the Nuremberg goldsmith school, renowned for combining rare exotic materials with highly refined craftsmanship.

Place of origin: Prague

Materials and Technique: Rhinoceros horn (white rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum); African warthog tusks; gilded silver mounts, partially painted

Symbolism: the cup reflects the early modern belief that certain natural materials possessed protective and healing powers

Function: a prestigious collector's object; a symbol of princely wealth and global trade; a showcase of rare and exotic natural materials; an object believed to protect against poison

According to early modern beliefs:

Rhinoceros horn was thought to neutralize poison

The "serpent's tongue" (a fossil shark tooth) was believed to protect against venom and poisoning

Coral branches symbolized healing and protection

Snakes, insects, spiders, and lizards represented dangerous or demonic forces within nature

Originally, the creature held a "serpent's tongue" (a fossil shark tooth) between its open jaws.

The Max Payne remake is still coming right... RIGHT?

Model: Me.

Photographer: The Remote Camera Trigger.

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