Adam van Vianen

Adam van Vianen (1568– 1627) was a leading silversmith of the early Dutch Golden Age, who trained as an engraver and was also a medallist.

Unlike his brother Paul van Vianen, he spent little time away from his native Utrecht.

Together they developed the auricular style which bridges the gap between Northern Mannerist and Baroque ornament.

[7] According to James Trilling, it "is one of the very few ornamental works that deserve recognition as art-historical turning points.

Van Vianen's breakthrough was the introduction of inchoate or indeterminate form, which paved the way for both Rococo and modernist ornament.