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Original fileMessen, telkens twee op één blad
About This Work
The print displays two elaborate knife handles designed in the Italian Mannerist style. The left handle features a grotesque mask and struggling nude figures, while the right handle is crowned with a griffin seated above intertwined figures and a mask. Both blades are inscribed with moralizing Latin mottos in reverse, indicating the work’s function as a pattern for master metalworkers.
Produced by Aegidius Sadeler at the imperial court in Prague, this print exemplifies the 'Courts of Wonder' aesthetic where luxury objects became vehicles for philosophical contemplation. The inclusion of stoic maxims on functional items aligns with the intellectual environment of Emperor Rudolf II, which synthesized art, nature, and ancient moral wisdom.
Inscriptions
Frac. Saluiat. In. VLTRA SVAS VIRES NIL TENTARE NIL INIVSTVM SPERARE CVM PRIVIL. S. C. Mtis. II
Translation
Frac. Saluiat. In. TO ATTEMPT NOTHING BEYOND ONE'S STRENGTH TO HOPE FOR NOTHING UNJUST WITH PRIVILEGE. OF HIS SACRED MAJESTY.
Connected Texts
Francesco Salviati
Salviati provided the original Mannerist designs which Sadeler translated into the medium of engraving.
Rudolf II
The inscription S. C. Mtis indicates the print was produced under the imperial privilege of the Holy Roman Emperor, a major patron of the occult sciences and the arts.
Provenance & Source
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
paper
height 244 mm x width 110 mm
decorative
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 2, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.