Snuff Box (Tabatière)
Medium
gold and glass with miniatures
Dimensions
3.4 × 5.6 cm, l. 7.7 cm
Classification
Metalwork
Department
Decorative Art and Design
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Edward B. Greene
Accession Number
1957.412
Tags
male
About this artwork
In 18th-century France ornately enameled boxes that held snuff—powdered tobacco—became a popular accessory in the French court. This object’s rectangular shape differs from early work attributed to Jean Ducrollay. Though the light colors, floral borders, and depictions of lively outdoor recreation are representative of earlier rococo imagery, the rectangular shape and simple frieze make it a primary example of rising neoclassicism.