Lidded ewer, Adam van Vianen (I), 1614

Lidded ewer, Adam van Vianen (I), 1614

gild, h c.25.0cm × w c.14.0cm × d c.9.0cm × w 910.0gr More details

On this ewer everything is in motion. Animal and human forms emerge from a viscous mass. It is possible that it represents the primordial soup (prima matera) from which life arose according to alchemists. On the inside are two crawling salamanders or lizards: animals that were also thought to originate from non-living matter. Does the ewer establish a link between the creative power of the artist and that of nature?

On display in room 2.1 Visit via the Highlights 1600-1650 tour

Listen to audio fragment (from the multimedia tour)

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