Snuffbox
ca. 1744–50
Medium
Enamel on copper partly gilt; silver
Dimensions
H. 2-1/16 in. (5.2 cm); W. 3 in. (7.6 cm); D. 2-1/4 in. (5.7 cm)
Classification
Enamels
Culture
probably German, Berlin
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Gift of George Blumenthal, by exchange; Gift of J.Pierpont Morgan, by exchange, 1993
Accession Number
1993.336
Art Historical Context
This elegant snuffbox, crafted in the Workshop of Charles From around 1744–50, exemplifies the opulent world of 18th-century luxury goods. Likely produced in Berlin, a hub for fine enameling, it measures a compact 2-1/16 inches high, 3 inches wide, and 2-1/4 inches deepperfectly sized for a gentleman's pocket. Snuffboxes like this held powdered tobacco, a fashionable indulgence among the aristocracy, transforming everyday habits into displays of wealth and taste during the Rococo era's love for intricate, playful decoration. The box's medium—enamel on copper, partly gilt, with silver—highligh...