Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Gifts of Grandeur: The Aguatti Snuffbox, 1800-1825

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This oval box of tortoiseshell, gold and copper features a cover set with an impressive micromosaic depicting a black and white spaniel dog sitting in a field with a landscape in the background. The image is signed by the artist, Antonio Aguatti) in tesserae (mosaic pieces).

Dating between 1800 and 1825, this lovely snuffbox comes from Rome and used the image of a dog as a symbol of fidelity, a theme which was popular in the Nineteenth century.



No comments: