Imperial Presentation Box with Napoleon III's Cipher
Classification
containers
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift from the Thomas W. Evans Collection from University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
Accession Number
1983-69-11
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This elegant rectangular box gleams with a rich golden surface, its lid adorned with four diamond-set “N” monograms positioned at the corners. At the center rests an elaborate crowned cipher, its intertwined letters and imperial crown sparkling with inset gems. Delicate engraved scrolls and floral motifs frame the design, while the sides feature repeating ornamental bands that emphasize the box’s refined craftsmanship and symmetry. Created around 1855 by the French goldsmith Alexandre-Gabriel Lemonnier, the work carries the cipher of Napoleon III and served as an imperial presentation piece during the Second Empire. Its luxurious materials and precise detailing reflect the opulent taste of the period, when such containers were often given as tokens of favor or diplomatic courtesy. Now part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection through the Thomas W. Evans gift, the box offers visitors a tangible connection to mid-nineteenth-century French court life and the artistry of imperial patronage.