GOLD AND ENAMEL SNUFFBOX

Beautiful oval snuffbox with intricately sculpted gold and enamel. The translucent, red enamel leaves the detailed geometric patterns underneath it visible. The hinged lid is decorated with a painted enamel medallion featuring a mythological scene. In it, a man wearing a helmet and armor is avowing his love to a young woman holding a wreath of roses and wearing a white and red dress. They are standing near an altar where two hearts are burning. At the foot of the altar is a quiver and two doves, which symbolize Cupid. A temple can be seen in the background. The medallion is framed in opalescent enamel beads. The snuffbox is rimmed with a frieze of foliage and beads on a matte gold base. The frieze is highlighted with green, red, and white enamel. The body of the box is decorated with four panels of gold covered with translucent red enamel that leaves the geometric patterns underneath visible. A thin band of opaque, white enamel frames each panel. An urn motif highlighted with multicolored enamel separates each of the panels.
W: (89g)
Swiss craftsmanship from the end of the 18th century.