Snuffbox with Pastoral Scenes
Unknown Artist
ca. 1765
Medium
Gold and enamel
Dimensions
H. 4.4 cm, L. 8.3 cm, D. 6.4 cm
Classification
Snuffboxes
Culture
North German
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1540
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite **Snuffbox with Pastoral Scenes**, crafted around 1765 by an unknown North German artist, exemplifies the opulent craftsmanship of 18-century Europe. Made of gold and enamel, it just 4.4 cm high, 8.3 cm long, and 6.4 cm deep—perfectly sized for a gentleman's pocket. Housed in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, snuffbox reflects the era's fascination with luxury accessories for inhaling finely ground tobacco snuff, a fashionable habit among the aristocracy. The lid and sides feature delicate painted enamel scenes of shepherds, boys, and women in idyl...