Souvenir 1765 - 1766

This small, intricately decorated snuffbox, or "Souvenir", was created by French artist Jean-Baptiste Bertin in 1765-1766. The box, made of tortoiseshell, is decorated with engraved ivory panels depicting a pastoral scene with a couple and a peacock. This scene likely references the popular French genre of the "fêtes galantes", which celebrated love and pleasure. The intricately detailed carvings and elegant form exemplify the exquisite craftsmanship of 18th-century French decorative art. This small work is currently in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.