Snuffbox with miniature depicting the return of Theseus

In eighteenth-century Europe, Paris led the production of high-quality luxury goods. Parisian goldsmiths created a wide range of small, personal articles such as snuffboxes; étuis to hold sealing wax, tweezers, or utensils for sewing; souvenirs which contained thin ivory tablets for note taking, shuttles for knotting trim, and containers for cosmetics or candies.

The cover of this ornate and colorful snuffbox has a polychrome enameled plaque ostensibly depicting a scene from Phaedra showing the return of her husband King Theseus. Based on a subject from Greek mythology, Jean Racine wrote the French tragedy Phèdre which was first performed in Paris in 1677. New and illustrated editions of Racine's collected plays were published during the eighteenth century making the subject fashionable again. A snuffbox in the Louvre, made by Charles Ouizille in 1777–1778, has a similar miniature, indicating a common engraved source and as yet unidentified engraved source. Neither miniature is signed.

Surrounding the miniature on The Met’s snuffbox are panels of translucent opalescent enamel veined to simulate moss or dendritic agate. Beginning with small panels in the mid-1750’s, the use of this motif developed in the 1770’s to cover the surfaces of certain boxes. Here, it is used sparingly over engine turning and on small enameled ovals and bands encircling the central image.

Surrounding the enameled miniature are panels of translucent opalescent enamel veined to simulate moss or dendritic agate. Beginning with small panels in the mid-1750s, the use of this motif developed in the 1770s to cover the surfaces of certain boxes. Here, it is used sparingly over engine turning and on small, enameled ovals and bands encircling the central image. The marchand mercier (dealer in luxury goods) Granchez advertised in 1775 snuffboxes “ornées de médaillons, d’agates arborisées, plus belles que les naturelles” (adorned with medallions of dendritic/moss agate more beautiful than that found in nature).

Daughter of one of the founders of the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, Catherine D. Wentworth (1865–1948) was an art student and painter who lived in France for thirty years. She became one of the most important American collectors of eighteenth-century French silver and on her death in 1948 bequeathed part of her significant collection of silver, gold boxes, French furniture and textiles to the Metropolitan Museum.