Bonbonnière thumbnail 1
Bonbonnière thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Bonbonnière

ca. 1802 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Today only a few early 19th century snuffboxes from the grand ducal workshops are extant and documented but almost all belong to the Gilbert Collection. This design is recorded as having been painted by Carlo Carlieri (active 1802-1816), a hardstone worker turned painter for the Grand Ducal workshops.

Hardstone mosaic techniques (commessi di pietre dure) emerged in Florence, where Ferdinand de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, founded the Grand Ducal Workshop (Opificio delle Pietre Dure) in 1588. It still operates today under the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage.

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.

  • Bonbonniere
  • Bonbonniere
Materials and techniques
Gold mounts, lapis lazuli, chalcedony, agate, malachite, pietre dure
Brief description
Bonbonnière with gold mounts and mosaics of hardstones (lapis lazuli, chalcedony, agate, malachite) Opificio delle Pietre Dure, Florence, ca.1800
Physical description
Circular, gold-mounted lapis lazuli bonbonniere, the cover with a commesso (stone mosaic) panel depicting a vase of flowers within concentric circles and a white zigzag ribbon border, the base with a ribbon-tied bouquet of flowers within a similar border, with lapis lazuli sides and matted gold mounts.
Dimensions
  • Height: 23mm
  • Diameter: 81mm
  • Weight: 190g
Measured 25/04/24 IW
Gallery label
  • 4. Bonbonnière with vase of flowers About 1800 The motifs featured on the box’s cover and base – the vase of flowers, broken ledge and ribbons – were commonly used by the Grand Ducal Workshop in Florence from the 17th to the 19th century. Box: probably Florence, Italy Mosaic: Florence, Italy; Grand Ducal Workshop (Opificio delle Pietre Dure) Lapis lazuli, chalcedony, agate, pietre dure (hardstone mosaic) and gold Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.436:1, 2-2008(16/11/2016)
  • Bonbonnière with vase of flowers About 1800 The motifs featured on the cover and base, from the vase of flowers and broken ledge to the ribbons, were commonly used by the Opificio from the 17th to 19th centuries. Box: probably Florence, Italy Mosaic: Florence, Italy; Grand Ducal Workshop (Opificio delle Pietre Dure) Lapis lazuli, chalcedony, agate, pietre dure (hardstone mosaic) and gold Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.436:1, 2-2008(2009)
Credit line
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Production
Box: probably Florence. Mosaic: Florence, Opificio delle Pietre Dure.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Today only a few early 19th century snuffboxes from the grand ducal workshops are extant and documented but almost all belong to the Gilbert Collection. This design is recorded as having been painted by Carlo Carlieri (active 1802-1816), a hardstone worker turned painter for the Grand Ducal workshops.

Hardstone mosaic techniques (commessi di pietre dure) emerged in Florence, where Ferdinand de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, founded the Grand Ducal Workshop (Opificio delle Pietre Dure) in 1588. It still operates today under the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage.

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
  • Giusti, Anna Maria. Pietre Dure and the Art of Florentine Inlay. London: Thames & Hudson, 2006, p. 214, pl. 172.
  • Truman, Charles.The Gilbert collection of gold boxes, Vol. I. Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1991, cat. no. 142, pp. 410-11. ISBN.0875871623
  • Schroder, Timothy. Gold boxes : from the Gilbert collection : an exhibition, Los Angeles : Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1986 27
Other numbers
  • MM 251 - Arthur Gilbert Number
  • 1996.570 - The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House
Collection
Accession number
LOAN:GILBERT.436:1, 2-2008

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Record createdJune 26, 2008
Record URL
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