Noel Hardivilliers (fl. 1729–1771), Paris, France, 1757–1758
Noel Hardivilliers (fl. 1729–1771), Paris, France, 1757–1758
Gold (yellow, green, and red gold)
3,2 cm × 6,9 cm × 3,4 cm
The French goldsmith Noël Hardivilliers (active 1729–1771) was renowned for his finely executed snuffboxes made entirely of gold. Toward the end of the eighteenth century, snuffboxes incorporating decorative motifs in alloys of differently coloured gold became highly fashionable.
The ingot-shaped example in the collection combines yellow, red, and green gold. Its surfaces are richly ornamented on all sides with floral and vegetal motifs characteristic of the Rococo period.
