Snuffbox

Art Historical Context

This exquisite snuffbox, between 1755 and1760 in Berlin, exemplifies the opulent metal of mid-18th Germany. Attributed tosmith Daniel Baudesson and painter Daniel Nikolaus Chowiecki, it features compact form of gold encusted with diamonds and adorned with finely painted enamel scenes. Measuring just 1 1/2 × 3 3/16 × 2 3/8 inches, its diminutive size belies its luxurious craftsmanship, designed as a portable accessory for the aristocracy. The enamel panels, likely Chodowiecki's contribution, depict elegant men and women amid flowers and trees, evokingoco-era pastoral idylls. Chodowiecki, a master of genre scenes in Berlin's vibrant artistic scene, brought lively narrative detail to these miniature canvases, while Baudesson's goldsmithing showcased intricate chasing and diamond settings. Snuffboxes like this were fashionable status symbols, holding powdered tobacco—a social ritual among Europe's elite. A gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art from Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman in 1976, this piece highlights Berlin's prominence in European decorative arts, blending technical virtuosity with cultural refinement. Visitors can appreciate how such objects turned everyday indulgence into high art.