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You see here a veritable masterpiece of the goldsmith’s art... and a marvel of late-sixteenth century technology. It combines glass, rock crystal, enamel, diamonds and rubies.

Our gaze is attracted first to the larger sphere. It contains a scene from classical antiquity: Orpheus seated on a golden hill. In Greek mythology, Orpheus was the greatest musician. With his song and his lyre, he was able not only to charm all living creatures; he could even win over the rulers of the Underworld. Right up until early Mediaeval times, he was viewed as the symbol of the Golden Age, and of divine harmony.

Animals surround the singer on the hill – there’s even a bird in a tree – all listening peacefully to the marvellous music. Diamonds and colourful gems have been placed between the larger animals. Verses are inscribed underneath the plate in praise of Orpheus. Unfortunately, they’re rather difficult to see.

The smaller sphere shows the time. There’s a little clock concealed inside it. The colourful enamelled figure of Saturn on the top of the sphere used to point to the hour with a lance. The foot and shaft on which the sphere stands are decorated with foliage of blue and white enamel on gold – with a stag, a dog and a small monkey. The fourth animal is missing. This Orpheus sphere was made in southern Germany and first appears in Dresden Kunstkammer records in 1587. Historians think it was probably given to Elector August of Saxony by the Bavarian Duke Wilhelm the Fifth, when they met up at the Imperial Diet in 1582. There’s a similar example in Vienna.