Snuffbox

Art Historical Context

This exquisite snuffbox, by Simon Francis Ravenet the elder between 1753 and 1756, exemplifies the opulent world of Battersea enamels from London. Ravenet, a skilled French-born engraver who settled in England, was a key figure at the short-lived Battersea Enamel, which produced luxury decorative objects during the mid-18th century. of enameled copper, this petite treasure—measuring just 1 1/2 × 2 3/4 × 3 1/2 inches—served as a fashionable accessory for gentlemen, holding finely ground tobacco snuff amid the refined social rituals of Georgian Britain. The painted enamel technique, involving f...