This piece was definitely inspired by the movie The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, specifically the scene borrowed from "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli. (If you haven't seen this movie, you should.)

The shell required some labor-intensive carving and getting the mechanism to work correctly was a real challenge. As you turn the handle, the shell slowly opens to reveal the figure, then snaps shut after the 8th turn. Nice.

Multimedia Movie #1 "Birth of Venus" in action 1.81 MB, Quicktime Movie #2 Zoom in as "Birth of Venus" closes 1.54 MB, Quicktime  Need the plugin?

"Birth of Venus" in closed position Inside view of mechanisms Base in process of being carved Base, finished Inside of shells, in process of being carved Inside of shells, carving complete Exterior of shells Shells, painted