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Snuffbox
ca. 1715 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The woman in this enamel is partially exposing herself and raising her skirt. The male figure is a European caricature of a man of African descent. It is not clear what his role is, but this caricature was used during the 18th century as a form of visual humour, which is now understood as dehumanising and offensive.
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
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Raised gold and enamelled plaque. |
| Brief description | An oval, gold snuffbox with plain walls and reeded borders, the cover set with an enamel plaque depicting the half length figure of a woman loosely clad in a white lined blue dress exposing one breast. |
| Physical description | An oval, gold snuffbox with plain walls and reeded borders, the cover set with an enamel plaque depicting the half length figure of a woman loosely clad in a white lined blue dress exposing one breast, and with her skirt raised, with a caricature of a man of African descent on her right. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Christie's, Geneva, lot 357, November 10, 1987. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The woman in this enamel is partially exposing herself and raising her skirt. The male figure is a European caricature of a man of African descent. It is not clear what his role is, but this caricature was used during the 18th century as a form of visual humour, which is now understood as dehumanising and offensive. 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.1041-2008 |
About this object record
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| Record created | June 19, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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