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Tobacco box

18th century
Not on view
The lid of this oval box shows three roundels surrounded by leaf scrolls. The central medallion depicts an outdoor scene in which a man is attacked by two villains with swords. A terrified woman looks on from a distance. The two flanking roundels are inscribed: Voor mijn schoon lief verheeve / moet ick nu laate mijn ionck leeve (For my pretty, sublime sweetheart / must I now lose my young life).

The underside is similarly decorated with three roundels and leaf scrolls. The outdoor scene in the center shows a man, accompanied by a dog, offering a wreath to his sweetheart. Inscribed: Floora life mijn waarde glans / ontfangt mijn trou met dese krans (Flora love, my true glory / receive my faithfulness with this wreath).

With lined and corded rims, molded edges, and foliate boders and sides.

The inscription found on the underside of this box is also recorded by Julien van der Linden, "Les boîtes en cuivres dites tabatières hollandaises," Annales de la Société d’Archéologie de Bruxelles 15 (1901), p. 210.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Tobacco box
  • Date: 18th century
  • Culture: Dutch
  • Medium: Copper
  • Dimensions: 5 × 2 15/16 × 1 3/8 in. (12.7 × 7.5 × 3.5 cm)
  • Classification: Metalwork-Copper
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Flora E. Whiting, 1971
  • Object Number: 1971.180.213
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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