German Porcelain Snuff Box with Galante Garden Scene, 1700s

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A gilt-metal mounted porcelain snuff box (tabatière) from Germany, second half of the 18th century. The oval lid is hand-painted … Read more A gilt-metal mounted porcelain snuff box (tabatière) from Germany, second half of the 18th century. The oval lid is hand-painted with a galante garden scene: a courting couple seated together beneath flowering trees, beside a stone pedestal topped with a classical urn — a popular decorative motif of the period, echoing the pastoral romanticism found on fine German and Meissen-style porcelain of the era. The interior of the lid repeats the same painted scene, while the box's exterior body is decorated with delicate polychrome floral sprays — roses, carnations, and small blossoms in soft naturalistic colors.

The box is set in a gilt metal mount with hinged lid, typical of 18th-century porcelain boxes intended as luxury accessories for snuff or small keepsakes.

A charming and finely painted example of 18th-century German porcelain craftsmanship. See less