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Snuffbox
Northam, John - Enlarge image
Snuffbox
- Place of origin:
London, England (made)
Augsburg, Germany (probably, carved) - Date:
ca.1700 (made)
1825-1826 (carved) - Artist/Maker:
Northam, John (box maker)
- Materials and Techniques:
Gold and carved ivory
- Credit Line:
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
- Museum number:
LOAN:GILBERT.447-2008
- Gallery location:
Gold, Silver & Mosaics, room 72, case 5, shelf 3
In Greek mythology, Io, a priestess of Hera, was seduced by the god Zeus disguised in the form of a cloud. Then, in an (unsuccessful) attempt to hide her from jealous Hera, he transformed her into a white heifer. The ivory plaque is based on a painting by the Italian artist Antonio Correggio (1489-1534). It was probably carved in Augsburg around the beginning of the nineteenth century, over a century after the box was made in London.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
