Box with Fortress of Sonnenstein
Late 18th century
Medium
Paper maché and black lacquer with painted cover
Dimensions
Diam.: 9.5 cm (3 3/4 in.)
Classification
box
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
79277
Art Historical Context
Step into the enchanting world of late 18th-century European decorative arts with Johann Heinrich Stobwasser'sBox with Fortress of Sonnen*. This petite treasure, measuring just 9.5 cm in diameter, exemplifies the exquisite papier-mâché technique popular among skilled artisans of the era. Crafted from lightweight, moldable paper maché in glossy black lacquer, the box features a vividly painted lid depicting the imposing Fortress of Sonnenstein—a to architectural grandeur, likely inspired by the historic Austrian stronghold near Linz. Stobwasser's work reflects the Rococo-to-Neoclassical transi...