Lapis Lazuli Ewer with Triton Mounts. Lapis Lazuli and Gold (ca. 1600β1610)
Miniature ewer crafted during the height of the Renaissance interest in rare materials. The body of the vessel is carved from two pieces of deep blue lapis lazuli, likely imported to Prague from the Badakhshan mines in modern-day Afghanistan.
A gold triton, a mythological sea creature with a split fish tail, arches over the rim to form the handle, its horn blowing.
Wealthy collectors of the era eagerly sought out these mixed-media treasures, blending natural wonders with human craftsmanship to display inside their private cabinets of curiosities (Kunstkammern).
Loc. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK. Dim. Height. 16.7 cm (6.6 in)