The Shell (Etching)

Composition of The Shell (Conus Marmoreus)

This etching depicts a single marbled cone shell resting horizontally against a plain off-white background. Fine crosshatching defines the dark geometric net pattern across the conical surface and spiral end. A dense shadow falls beneath the shell while a signature and date appear at lower left.

Historical Context of this 1650 Dutch Work

Created in 1650, this work represents the artist’s only known still life etching. The shell came from a personal cabinet of curiosities containing exotic natural specimens from the Indo-Pacific. Drawing directly on the copperplate reversed the natural spiral orientation during printing.