Designs for Decorating Tobacco Boxes
1751-1769
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-414-2
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of 18th-century craftsmanship with *Designs for Decorating Tobacco Boxes* by Viriclix, an artist active during that vibrant era. Created between 1751 and 1769, this print from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection offers a glimpse into the decorative arts of the time. As patterns intended for adorning tobacco boxes—popular personal accessories amid the booming transatlantic tobacco trade—these designs likely served as templates for engravers and box makers, blending utility with elegance. Tobacco boxes were more than mere containers in colonial America; they sym...