Cornelis Bellekin (fl. 1650 - 1700) Netherlandish, Amsterdam, second half 17th century

With Galerie Neuse, Bremen, 2000

Brussels, Musée de la Maison d'Erasme, Anatomie des Vanités, 2008

A. Vanautgaerden (ed.), Anatomie des Vanités, exh. cat., Musée Maison d'Erasme, Brussels, 2008, p. 80

Overall the condition of the shell is very good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are a few minor chips and abrasions around the edge of the opening of the shell. There is a small loss to the end of the whipped finial of the shell, and some possible glue residues here. The engraving has been tinted and the tinting has worn slightly in a few areas. There is some very minor natural splitting to the shell consistent with the material to the interior and around the opening. There are a few minor marks.
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This exquisitely engraved and carved shell depicts the triumphant procession of Neptune and Amphitrite with further mermaids and cherubs, a putto astride a swordfish and a pair of putti playfully taunting a narwhal. The combination of the engraved landscapes in which figures appearing in relief is typical of the work of the most famous 17th century shell-worker, Cornelis Bellekin (or Bellequin) active circa 1640-1696. He was a member of a family of shell carvers based in Amsterdam. The engraving was done with a burin and then blackened with wax.

Trade and exploration from the late 16th century fostered a fascination for exotic and rare materials, particularly amongst the seafaring countries of Europe, like Holland. The arrival of these rare and often valuable animal and vegetable materials on European shores, encouraged the foundation and development of artist’s who made sculpture, objets and everyday wares, incorporating these materials into their creations.

Bellekin was already famous in his own time and early 18th century accounts mention his stature as a carver of mother-of-pearl . Shells by Cornelis Bellekin formed part of the famous collections of Petronella de la Court (1624-1707), Simon Schijnvoet (1652-1727) and Albertus Seba (1665-1736). The latter is known to have owned at least two nautili and 12 smaller shells engraved by Bellekin. They are depicted life-size in the catalogue of Seba's entire collection of naturalia which was published in four volumes between 1734 and 1765.

A signed shell with silver mounts, probably by Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, which was formerly in the collection of William Beckford is in the Waddesdon Manor Collection (accession number 12-1997). A further signed example of Cornelis Bellequin's work was formerly in the Hermitage Museum St. Petersburg and illustrated by van Seters (op. cit.) and a signed shell by his brother Jan Bellekin is in the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, 1966.137. While other examples of the family’s work exist, the majority of them are in the form of small plaques or oyster shells often set into snuff box lids.

RELATED LITERATURE
E. Philippovich, Kunst und Kuriositaten, Braunschweig 1966, pp. 457-459; W.H. van Seters, ‘Oud-Nederlandse parelmoerkunst: het werk van leden der familie Belquin, parelmoergraveurs en schilders in de 17de eeuw’, Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek 9 (1958), pp. 173-237