Bonbonnière
ca. 1730 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This box, of gold and mother-of-pearl, is delicately decorated with a combination of translucent enamel and opaque white enamel strewn with blue crosses. The decoration and technique are reminiscent of makers working in Germany, suggesting that this box was made there.
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 | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Pierced gold, mother of pearl and enamel |
| Brief description | Pierced gold, mother of pearl and enamel, Germany, about 1730 |
| Physical description | A circular, enamelled gold and mother of pearl bonbonnière, the cover, walls, and base set with panels of mother of pearl overlaid with gold pierced with foliage and strapwork, enamelled in translucent blue and greens and opaque white. Within the strapwork classicising heads in profile are applied to the shell; at the centre of the cover is a mask of Apollo. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | No marks |
| Gallery label | 2. Bonbonnière with mask of Apollo, about 1730
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.401:1, 2-2008(16/11/2016) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Christie's, New York, lot 635, 17/04/1985. |
| Production | Enamelling reminiscent of the Fromery workshop in Berlin |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This box, of gold and mother-of-pearl, is delicately decorated with a combination of translucent enamel and opaque white enamel strewn with blue crosses. The decoration and technique are reminiscent of makers working in Germany, suggesting that this box was made there. 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.401:1,2-2008 |
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| Record created | June 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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