Cleveland Museum of Art

Pair of Covered Jars (Pots de tabac)

Faubourg Saint-Denis

Date

c. 1779–1789

Medium

Hard-paste porcelain with enamel and gilt decoration; metal mount

Culture

France, 18th century

Department

Decorative Art and Design

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Due to the discovery of the ingredient kaolin in Saint-Yrieix, France in 1768-69, European porcelain factories were able to replicate the prized hard-paste porcelain of China and Japan. In the years following, many porcelain factories opened in the area, including Faubourg Saint-Denis in 1772. These jars, sold alone or in sets, would have stored snuff, powdered tobacco meant to be inhaled, or loose tobacco for smoking. Processes outlined in Simon Barbe’s 1693 Le Parfumeur Français (The French Perfumer) describe various ways to prepare snuff including the addition of scents, coloration of the powder, and several different grinding methods.

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