Pierre-Lucien Joitteau, Paris, France, 1774
Pierre-Lucien Joitteau, Paris, France, 1774
Gold, enamel
2,8 cm × 6,7 cm × 4,6 cm
The oval snuffbox, made in enamelled gold in 1774 by the French goldsmith Pierre-Lucien Joitteau, centres on a medallion-like painted scene depicting a muse holding a painter’s palette. The surrounding enamelled ground imitates leopard skin.
During the eighteenth century, textiles, furnishings, and objets d’art inspired by the pelts and markings of exotic animals were highly fashionable. It was even believed that by wearing the hide or fur of a wild animal, the wearer might acquire the animal’s attributes and powers.
