Snuffbox
ca. 1780 (made)
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Place of origin |
This box demonstrates the technique of Zellenmosaik (literally, cell mosaic), in which small pieces of hardstone (tesserae) are separated by areas of gold. This technique is believed to have been developed by Heinrich Taddel or his son-in-law Johann Christian Neuber, who worked at Taddel's workshop in Dresden. The marks on the box are unusually informative for a box by Neuber: it is marked 'NEUBER', 'DRESDEN', and '20' for 20 carat gold. The cover was set later with a miniature of Charlotte Aglaé, Madmoiselle de Valois, by a follower of the enameller Jean Petitot, 1825-50.
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
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Carved lapis lazuli and marble, Zellenmosaik hardstones, matted gold and glazed miniature |
Brief description | An oval, gold-mounted hardstone Zellenmosaik snuffbox, on the cover a miniature of Charlotte Aglaé in a lapis lazuli ground bordered by red and green hardstone leaves and berries. |
Physical description | An oval, gold-mounted hardtone 'Zellenmosaik' snuffbox, on the cover a miniature of a young lady in a white gown mounted on a lapis lazuli ground bordered by red and green hardstone leaves and berries. |
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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: Viscount Bearsted, M.C.. S.J. Philips, London. |
Production | The cover was set later with a miniature of Charlotte Aglaé, Mademoiselle de Valois, by a follower of Jean Petitot, 1825-50. |
Summary | This box demonstrates the technique of Zellenmosaik (literally, cell mosaic), in which small pieces of hardstone (tesserae) are separated by areas of gold. This technique is believed to have been developed by Heinrich Taddel or his son-in-law Johann Christian Neuber, who worked at Taddel's workshop in Dresden. The marks on the box are unusually informative for a box by Neuber: it is marked 'NEUBER', 'DRESDEN', and '20' for 20 carat gold. The cover was set later with a miniature of Charlotte Aglaé, Madmoiselle de Valois, by a follower of the enameller Jean Petitot, 1825-50. 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. |
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Collection | |
Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.354-2008 |
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Record created | June 19, 2008 |
Record URL |
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