Snuffbox 1761 - 1771

This delicate snuffbox was made by Philippe Ernst Schindler the younger, from a silver frame and a glass portrait of Maria Anna of Austria. Consider the skill involved in creating this object, starting with the cameo portrait on the lid. This wasn't painted, but carved in relief, with careful labor. Each tiny detail reflects light, giving the figure a sense of depth and presence. Then there's the silver frame, intricately chased with floral and geometric motifs. Each element had to be precisely cut, shaped, and soldered together. Snuffboxes like these were luxury goods, and smoking tobacco had become an aristocratic practice, with its own rituals and etiquette. They speak volumes about the world of courtly life, social status, and conspicuous consumption. It takes a highly trained specialist to produce work like this, with a high cost. This snuffbox reminds us that even the smallest objects can tell big stories about labor, artistry, and the societies that prized them.