Snuffbox
1720-1730 (made)
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Inside this box can be found miniature portraits of Louis XV of France and his wife Marie Leczinska. It has been suggested that the box commemorates the birth of the 'dauphin' Louis in 1729, the royal couple's fourth child, and first son, heir to the throne. A few elements contradict this suggestion: the dolphin does not bear any regal symbol such as a crown, the marks that date the box indicate that it was initated before the birth of Louis, when the arrival of a son was unknown.
It is most probable that these delicate panels, together with the miniature of Louis XV, date from 1725-1730 and have been associated later into this gold snuffbox, and a later miniature of Queen Marie Leczinska.
The miniature of the king may have been painted by Jean-Baptiste Massé - he is recorded as supplying miniatures of the king for boxes intended as diplomatic gifts from 1720-26-, or by his lesser known contemporary Jean-Baptiste Ducanel.
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.
It is most probable that these delicate panels, together with the miniature of Louis XV, date from 1725-1730 and have been associated later into this gold snuffbox, and a later miniature of Queen Marie Leczinska.
The miniature of the king may have been painted by Jean-Baptiste Massé - he is recorded as supplying miniatures of the king for boxes intended as diplomatic gifts from 1720-26-, or by his lesser known contemporary Jean-Baptiste Ducanel.
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
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| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Gold box set with tortoiseshell panels pique with varicoloured gold and glazed miniatures on vellum |
| Brief description | Gold snuffbox with two tortoisehell pique panels and two miniatures inside, one miniature probably Jean-Baptiste Massé, Paris, circa 1725-1730, and later |
| Physical description | A rectangular gold and tortoiseshell double-opening snuffbox, circa 1725-1730 and later the cover set with a panel of tortoiseshell pique in varicoloured gold representing a seascape of a dolphin and a ship, in the foreground a beach littered with shells and rocks, with ruins, birds,and an island in the distance. The lid is hinged to reveal a miniature, under glass, of Marie Leczinska, queen of France, probably 19th century or heavily restored, wearing a cloak of blue embroidered with gold fleurs-de-lis and lined with ermine overa lace-trimmed dress of red embroidered with gold. In the base is a panel of tortoiseshell pique with a cornucopia of small shells, also hinged to reveal a contemporary miniature of Louis XV of France in armour, wearing a whitestock and the sash of the Order of the Holy Ghost. The gold box, probably early 19th century or later, has plain walls, reeded borders, and a doublethumbpiece. |
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| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Michael Turisk, Paris. Acquired by Arthur Gilbert from S.J. Phillips Ltd, London, 1986. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Inside this box can be found miniature portraits of Louis XV of France and his wife Marie Leczinska. It has been suggested that the box commemorates the birth of the 'dauphin' Louis in 1729, the royal couple's fourth child, and first son, heir to the throne. A few elements contradict this suggestion: the dolphin does not bear any regal symbol such as a crown, the marks that date the box indicate that it was initated before the birth of Louis, when the arrival of a son was unknown. It is most probable that these delicate panels, together with the miniature of Louis XV, date from 1725-1730 and have been associated later into this gold snuffbox, and a later miniature of Queen Marie Leczinska. The miniature of the king may have been painted by Jean-Baptiste Massé - he is recorded as supplying miniatures of the king for boxes intended as diplomatic gifts from 1720-26-, or by his lesser known contemporary Jean-Baptiste Ducanel. 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. |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.315-2008 |
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| Record created | June 19, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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