Basin

It is likely that the technique of inlaying tortoiseshell originated in Naples towards the end of the 1500s and, due to the number of surviving pieces which bear signatures of Neapolitan craftsmen, it is thought that Naples was the centre for this type of work, especially in the 1700s. The exotic central scene and elaborate borders of this basin are derived from works by the French painter, engraver and designer Jean Bérain (1637-1711).