Snuffbox with a Scene of Venus and Cupid
Joseph Etienne Blerzy French
No charge mark for gold and small silver work was registered at the outset of the new tax farm in 1781, although this was corrected two years later. Boxes made in the interim were struck with the mark seen on this box. The fashion for boxes that accommodated other media in their design encouraged the production of miniatures on vellum, ivory, or enamel from which the goldsmiths or retailers could choose. The randomness of subject matter is indicated by 106 such miniatures sold from the Cottin collection in 1752, which included royal and anonymous portraits; genre, landscape, and allegorical scenes; pastoral and biblical subjects; and birds.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
