Cleveland Museum of Art

Snuff Box (Tabatière)

Jean Ducrollay

Date

1753–54

Medium

gold and glass with miniatures

Culture

France, 18th century

Department

Decorative Art and Design

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

In 18th-century France ornately enameled boxes that held snuff—powdered tobacco—became a popular accessory in the French court. This object’s rectangular shape differs from early work attributed to Jean Ducrollay. Though the light colors, floral borders, and depictions of lively outdoor recreation are representative of earlier rococo imagery, the rectangular shape and simple frieze make it a primary example of rising neoclassicism. The Ducrollay family was one of the most sought-after Parisian goldsmith workshops under the reign of French King Louis XV.

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