Snuffbox
1840-1 (assayed), c. 1830 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The term 'micromosaic' is used to describe mosaics made of the smallest glass pieces. Some micromosaics contain more than 5000 pieces per square inch. Predators and their prey were a popular subject for micromosaics; a range of such pictures can be found within the Gilbert collection. Many were inspired by the work of the Austrian painter Wenceslaus Peter (1742-1829), who is known to have sold drawings to mosaicists in Rome. This particular mosaic was made in Rome, whilst the box was manufactured 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.
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.
Object details
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Chased silver-gilt and micromosaic |
| Brief description | Circular silver-gilt snuffbox with a fox and pheasant; mosaic: Rome, about 1830: box: Charles Rawlings and William Summers, London, 1840-41 |
| Physical description | A circular silver-gilt snuffbox, the cover set with a round micromosaic showing a fox devouring a pheasant. The border around the mosaic is chased with acanthus scrolls. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | 8. Snuffbox, 1840–41, with fox mosaic, about 1830
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.953-2008(16/11/2016) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: J. H. Bourdon-Smith, London. |
| Historical context | Similar to circular micromosaic panel depicting a fox killing a cock pheasant sold by Thomas Mawer and Son of Lincoln for e2700 on December 2nd, 2006, as reported in Antiques Trade Gazette, 13th January, 2007 (see file record). |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The term 'micromosaic' is used to describe mosaics made of the smallest glass pieces. Some micromosaics contain more than 5000 pieces per square inch. Predators and their prey were a popular subject for micromosaics; a range of such pictures can be found within the Gilbert collection. Many were inspired by the work of the Austrian painter Wenceslaus Peter (1742-1829), who is known to have sold drawings to mosaicists in Rome. This particular mosaic was made in Rome, whilst the box was manufactured 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. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.953-2008 |
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| Record created | June 19, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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