The bowl of this coupe is
carved from a single piece of rock crystal, a material prized in the
early modern period for its clarity, hardness, and association with
purity. It has been sculpted into the dramatic form of a monster's
head, a choice that reflects both the virtuosity of the lapidary and
the taste for fantastical or grotesque imagery common in courtly
collections of the time. The short stem, also made from rock
crystal, supports a tall, three-part base of gold richly decorated
with enamelled floral motifs. Eight cameos are set around the lower
edge, depicting various classical figures and animals. Previously
attributed to Dionysio Miseroni, a Milanese master lapidary, it is
now thought to have been produced by his workshop, renowned for
intricate hardstone carvings and later associated with the Habsburg
court in Prague, where such objects were commissioned for their
rarity, extravagance, and technical achievement.
