VIANEN, Paulus van

Dutch silversmith. He worked from 1603 until his death in Prague as court goldsmith to Emperor Rudolf II. He was the creator of the auricular style, a 17th-century ornamental style based on parts of the human anatomy. Paulus was inspired by anatomy lectures he attended in Prague. Exponents include his brother, Adam van Vianen, and Adam’s son, Christiaen (1598-1666), who worked in England, 1635-39, and later, c. 1660-1666. The auricular style was adopted by other cabinetmakers and carvers in the Low Countries and Germany.