German
Ostrich, 17th century
Ostrich egg with silver mount , 45.5 cm (17 15/16 in.)
General admission for children 17 years and under is always free
Ostrich egg encased in silver to form a sculpture of an ostrich. The off-white egg is used as the body of the ostrich, with a silver piece attached to the front that forms the head, long neck, and feathered chest. Down the ostrich’s chest is a decorative flower relief. The ostrich’s back has a similar floral motif. On both sides of the piece there are silver wings that rest over the egg. Fine feathers decorate the plates, and there are small hinges that attach the wings to the back plate. The tail feathers extend out from the back of the ostrich, and are very full. The ostrich egg rests on a pair of silver legs, with engraved muscles and scales on the ostrich’s feet. On the ostrich’s left thigh, there is a small engraving of a row of birds. The ostrich’s feet rest on an oval silver stand, decorated with flowers and edged with a looped decoration.
Dutch Room
Commentary
This silver ostrich cleverly uses an ostrich egg--considered exotic materials by its German maker--as its body. One theory speculates that these types of vessels, who's heads are detachable, were used in a drinking game. Not only would the consumer have trouble ingesting liquid from the narrow neck, but the ostrich's wings would flap their face. Isabella displayed two more ostrich eggs in the museum's galleries, although this is the only one with such remarkable craftsmanship and perhaps a history of practical jokes.