Box 1685 - 1715

This box was made in France by César de Bagard, some time in the 17th century. It’s made of steel, and it’s decorated with intricate floral patterns. Boxes such as this, so elaborately decorated, were often luxury items, prized possessions of the wealthy elite in France. They were used to store jewelry, documents, or other valuables. The very act of possessing and displaying such an object was a demonstration of status and power. The floral patterns are typical of the Baroque style, popular during the reign of Louis XIV. The Sun King actively promoted the arts as a means of glorifying his rule. The box therefore reflects the values of a hierarchical society, where art served to reinforce social divisions and celebrate royal authority. As historians, we can better understand the role this box played in French society through an examination of its provenance, its materials, and its design. We can research the lives of the aristocracy who owned such objects and the artisans who created them. In the end, we see that even a simple box is embedded in a complex web of social and institutional relations.