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| Cornelis Bellekin (fl. 1650–1700) | ||||||||||
| ellekin was born into a Dutch family of engravers, the founder of the family, Jeremie, having settled in Amsterdam in 1608. He was the member of this family who achieved the greatest fame, specialising in engraving mother-of-pearl and becoming the most distinguished artist in that field. Working from nature, he produced objects of art which found their way into collections of natural curiosities and rarities, and his output was prolific. The shells he used came from the Indian Ocean and were brought back by ships of the Dutch East India Company. Many of Bellekin's smaller shell works have survived; however, his Nautili creations are rare, especially the larger ones. The three characteristic techniques he employed were cameo carving, relief carving, and engraving. Some of his signed Nautili are housed in the Louvre, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the British Museum. Bellekin died in Amsterdam, although the exact date of his death is uncertain. | ||||||||||
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Art
