This beautiful ceremonial cup for wine is made of gilded silver, combining the aesthetic qualities of gold with the greater strength of silver. The undulating, embossed shapes that seem drawn from the underwater world are characteristic of Johannes Lutma, one of the greatest Dutch silversmiths. They also convey the aesthetics of the wider European baroque, reminding us that the initial use of "baroque" was for an irregular but lustrous pearl. Such a cup would be displayed when not in use.