Dedication to Flora…
Narcissus - messenger of Spring

Glass with chased flower decor and putti. Hamburg, until 1680

Quadrangular chetvertina drinking vessel with chased flower decor. Hamburg, 1649-1662
Fragment of Narcissus decor. From the glass with chased flower decor and putti
Narcissi
Fragment of Narcissus decor. From quadrangular chetvertina drink vessel with chased flower decor
Fragment of Narcissus decor. From the plate with chased flower edging from Prince V. Golitsyn"s chattels
Fragment of Narcissus decor. From the bowl with chased decor of flowers and knorpel
Fragment of Narcissus decor. From multi-tiered pickle bowl with candlesticks, crowned by the figure of Heracles fighting with monster. Brought with other gifts of King Karl XII of Sweden in 1684.

An Ancient Greek mythos describes its origin in the following way. Great diviner Tiresios devined to Narcissus, the son of the river god Kephissus and nymph Liriope, a long life if he would never see his face. Narcissus was a very handsome and a very cruel young man. Many women adored him, but he never reciprocated their feelings. The love goddess Aphrodite punished the young man with unrequited love. There are several stories of Narcissus in mythology. The most famous one was told by Ovidius (Metamorphoses, III, 339-510). One hot day, he saw the reflection of his face in the water and couldn't stop watching the beautiful face. The handsome silent youth did not reciprocate his passion. And Narcissus couldn't stop watching the beloved face. He died from hunger and thirst at the bank of the lake where his idol lived, his body turned into a flower. The other version of the mythos says that Narcissus stabbed himself with a dagger and the drops of his blood turned into flowers.

The mythos and beauty inspired German jewelers to create magnificent decor. Masters stylized and repeated narcissus motifs in various artworks. It appears in hatching created by an engraver, revives in skilful hands of a chaser, it is beautiful in experienced foundry workers' casting.