Design for a Knife Handle with the Marriage at Cana 1580 - 1600

This is Johann Theodor de Bry's "Design for a Knife Handle with the Marriage at Cana," an engraving on paper, made around the turn of the 17th century. De Bry was a publisher and engraver in Frankfurt, part of the vibrant print culture of the Holy Roman Empire. This print gives us a window into the world of decorative arts and their relationship to social status. Luxury goods like knives were not just functional, they were statements of wealth and taste. The image of the Marriage at Cana, where Jesus turns water into wine, would have resonated with the religious sensibilities of the time, but it also speaks to the importance of hospitality and celebration in social life. The inclusion of biblical scenes on everyday objects reflects the pervasive influence of religion on daily life in 17th-century Europe. To fully understand this print, we might turn to inventories of wealthy households, trade records, and books of emblems and symbols. These resources can help us reconstruct the cultural context in which such objects were created, used, and valued. The study of art enriches our understanding of the past.