Snuffbox
ca. 1755 (made), 19th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This box is part of a small group of Meissen boxes made in the shape of envelopes. The plain exterior conceals a well-executed painting inside of a musical entertainment beside the river Elbe. Albrechtsburg, the castle outside Dresden, is visible behind. Meissen porcelain was manufactured at the castle, which made it an appropriate and popular view. The box may thus have been intended as a souvenir. Whilst the porcelain was produced at Meissen in around 1755, the mounts were manufactured much later, in France during the nineteenth century.
Snuffboxes made out of porcelain followed the shapes of those made in gold and hardstones. Painted scenes or portraits ornamented the sides, covers and interiors. Changing forms and decoration were important, as these fashion accessories might be chosen to match the season or a particular costume. Most European (though rarely English) porcelain factories made snuffboxes. The largest producer was Meissen in Germany, which manufactured vast quantities of boxes from about 1735-65. A price list of 1765 mentions 11 varieties, the cheapest painted with flowers.
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.
Snuffboxes made out of porcelain followed the shapes of those made in gold and hardstones. Painted scenes or portraits ornamented the sides, covers and interiors. Changing forms and decoration were important, as these fashion accessories might be chosen to match the season or a particular costume. Most European (though rarely English) porcelain factories made snuffboxes. The largest producer was Meissen in Germany, which manufactured vast quantities of boxes from about 1735-65. A price list of 1765 mentions 11 varieties, the cheapest painted with flowers.
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
Category | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Gold-mounted enamelled porcelain |
Brief description | A rectangular, gold-mounted porcelain snuffbox in the form of a sealed letter, the cover painted in black with an inscription, the interior of the cover is painted in enamel colours with a musical fête champêtre beside the Elbe with Albrechtsburg in the background. |
Physical description | A rectangular, gold-mounted porcelain snuffbox in the form of a sealed letter, the cover painted in black with an inscription, scrolls and foliage. The interior of the cover is painted in enamel colours with a musical fête champêtre beside the Elbe with Albrechtsburg in the background. Inside the base is enamelled a blue diaper pattern enclosing crosses. The plain gold mount has twin flairing thumbpieces. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | à Celui qui le Merite, (on lid)
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Gallery label |
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Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
Object history | Provenance: Timothy B. Schroder, London. |
Production | The porcelain, Meissen, c. 1755; the mounts, France, nineteenth century |
Subjects depicted | |
Place depicted | |
Summary | This box is part of a small group of Meissen boxes made in the shape of envelopes. The plain exterior conceals a well-executed painting inside of a musical entertainment beside the river Elbe. Albrechtsburg, the castle outside Dresden, is visible behind. Meissen porcelain was manufactured at the castle, which made it an appropriate and popular view. The box may thus have been intended as a souvenir. Whilst the porcelain was produced at Meissen in around 1755, the mounts were manufactured much later, in France during the nineteenth century. Snuffboxes made out of porcelain followed the shapes of those made in gold and hardstones. Painted scenes or portraits ornamented the sides, covers and interiors. Changing forms and decoration were important, as these fashion accessories might be chosen to match the season or a particular costume. Most European (though rarely English) porcelain factories made snuffboxes. The largest producer was Meissen in Germany, which manufactured vast quantities of boxes from about 1735-65. A price list of 1765 mentions 11 varieties, the cheapest painted with flowers. 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 reference | Truman, Charles.The Gilbert collection of gold boxes, Vol. I. Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1991, cat. no. 89, pp. 264-6. ISBN.0875871623 |
Other numbers |
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Collection | |
Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.500-2008 |
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Record created | June 19, 2008 |
Record URL |
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