NIKOLAUS PFAFF (1556-1612) - WORKSHOP

Cabinets of curiosities, sometimes called cabinets of wonders, were interpretative collections of objects and artifacts that originated mainly in Europe during the Renaissance. Perhaps the most renowned cabinet was the Kunstkammer of Emperor Rudolf II. For its owner, it represented a place of rest and contemplation, as well as a demonstration of imperial majesty and power. A significant part of his collection comprised natural objects. It included a herbarium, which contained unknown plants as well as exotic fruits, fossils, free-standing taxidermy animals, trophies, shells, corals, and exotic bird eggs. One of the wonders of Rudolf II’s collection was this rare rhinoceros horn cup, made in the workshop of the famous Nuremberg carver Nikolaus Pfaff. The cup, exceptionally carved in deep relief, depicts a rugged masculine face, which stretches along the entire length of one side. It has a stern expression and eyebrows and beard trimmed with foliage hanging downward. On the other side, there is a smaller face located at the bottom of the vessel. Richly decorated acanthus stretches upward and to the sides, linking the two opposing masks. Over the entire piece, the carving varies in depth and detail, allowing light to penetrate the horn with varying intensities.