Sweetmeat box
Small octagonal box with a hinged lid embellished with pierced and engraved decoration of a basket of flowers and dragonflies in a central medallion surrounded by birds, dolphins, and floral sprays. Small containers like this one are known in French as drageoirs, deriving from the word dragée for candies and sweets made of dried fruit, toasted nuts, and crunchy sugar, that were kept in such decorative and portable receptacles.
This box was part of the collection of Giovanni P. Morosini (1884–1940), a banker and well-known collector of arms and armor, hence perhaps his interest in this object of steel, whose holdings were given to the Museum by his daughter Giuglia.
This box was part of the collection of Giovanni P. Morosini (1884–1940), a banker and well-known collector of arms and armor, hence perhaps his interest in this object of steel, whose holdings were given to the Museum by his daughter Giuglia.
Artwork Details
- Title: Sweetmeat box
- Date: probably ca. 1680–1700
- Culture: French
- Medium: Steel, with a panel of gilt steel overlaid with pierced and engraved steel
- Dimensions: Overall: 2 3/4 × 2 1/8 in. (7 × 5.4 cm)
- Classification: Metalwork-Steel
- Credit Line: The Collection of Giovanni P. Morosini, presented by his daughter Giulia, 1932
- Object Number: 32.75.53
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
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