Snuffbox
ca.1750 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Rococo decoration upon this box is associated with the work of the South German school of designers based in Augsburg and Munich. The cover, set with gold, is decorated with scrolls and foliage, which surround a representation of Diana reclining. Beside her, her bow and hunting horn are displayed. Diana was the virgin Roman goddess of the hunt, wild animals and woodland, also associated with the moon.
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 | Chased gold, mother of pearl |
| Brief description | Gold set with mother-of-pearl, Augsburg?, ca.1750 |
| Physical description | Cartouche-shaped snuffbox of mother-of-pearl mounted in gold, the cover set with a Rococo reserve chased with scrolls, foliage and a mask, enclosing a figure of Diana reclining on a shell-shaped ground with her bow, hunting horn and hound beside her. The walls are encrusted with scrolls; the base with scrolls and rocailles; the interior with two further gold rocailles; the thumbpiece is formed as a shell. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | No marks |
| Gallery label | 6. Snuffbox with the goddess Diana reclining, about 1750
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.428-2008(16/11/2016) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance Acquired by Arthur Gilbert from S.J. Phillips Ltd, London, 1995 |
| Production | Probably made in Augsburg as the snuffbox relates to the work of the South German school of designers based in Augsburg and Munich. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The Rococo decoration upon this box is associated with the work of the South German school of designers based in Augsburg and Munich. The cover, set with gold, is decorated with scrolls and foliage, which surround a representation of Diana reclining. Beside her, her bow and hunting horn are displayed. Diana was the virgin Roman goddess of the hunt, wild animals and woodland, also associated with the moon. 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, volume II. London: Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd., 1999, cat. no.14, p. 32. ISBN.0856675210 |
| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.428-2008 |
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| Record created | June 19, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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