Satirical references to Catholic practice in the form of fantastic, dog-faced creatures holding rosaries and other accessories appear on this flask. It was probably made as a diplomatic gift for a foreign Protestant prince, Johann Casimir of Bavaria (1543–1592), whose arms appear on it. The decorative scheme of fabulous beings, fruits, birds, and masks is derived from the work of the engraver and architect Jacques Androuet du Cerceau (1510/12–1585).
