Snuffbox
1811-12 (made), ca.1810 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This snuffbox was the product of two eminent craftsmen who received many royal and aristocratic commissions for diplomatic or political gifts. Yet, the rather provocative posture of the sitter indicates that this snuffbox was for personal and sentimental use. Elizabeth, Lady Conyngham (1769-1861) was a mistress of King George IV. The King was completely besotted with her and she bore him four children. On his death, the King bequeathed Elizabeth all his silver and jewels, but she refused the entire legacy. While she was excluded from court during the reigns of William IV and Victoria, two of her children became close acquaintances of the monarchs.
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
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Chased gold and enamel glazed miniature |
| Brief description | A rectangular, varicoloured-gold chased snuffbox, the cover set with an enamel miniature under glass of the countess of Conyngham. |
| Physical description | A rectangular, varicoloured-gold chased snuffbox, the cover set with an enamel miniature under glass of the Countess Conyngham facing three-quarters to the right, seated against an embroidered green cushion, in a low-cut red dress, a pearl-set ribbon in her dark hair, with a double row of pearls around her neck and a jeweled armband on her proper left arm, framed in gold chased with ivy leaves and scrolling foliage in the spandrels. The walls are chased with a band of palmettes between ivy leaves and the base with scrolling foliage around a rosette within a similar palmette border. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | 1. Snuffbox with Elizabeth, Countess of Conyngham, 1810–12
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.462-2008
(16/11/2016) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Enrico Caruso, sale, Parke-Bernet, New York, lot 66, March 15-16, 1949. Sotheby's, London, lot 54, December 15, 1989. Garrard and Company, London. Acquired by Arthur Gilbert from S.J. Phillips Ltd, London, 1990. The box was later owned by the great Italian tenor, Enrico Caruso (1873-1921). |
| Summary | This snuffbox was the product of two eminent craftsmen who received many royal and aristocratic commissions for diplomatic or political gifts. Yet, the rather provocative posture of the sitter indicates that this snuffbox was for personal and sentimental use. Elizabeth, Lady Conyngham (1769-1861) was a mistress of King George IV. The King was completely besotted with her and she bore him four children. On his death, the King bequeathed Elizabeth all his silver and jewels, but she refused the entire legacy. While she was excluded from court during the reigns of William IV and Victoria, two of her children became close acquaintances of the monarchs. 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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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.462-2008 |
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| Record created | June 19, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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