Tabaksdoos met in het deksel een gemonteerde plaque van parelmoer met scènes betreffende de zoutwinning 1755

This is a silver tobacco box with a mother-of-pearl plaque, made by Jan Diederik Pont in the eighteenth century. At this time, the Dutch Republic was a major economic power, its wealth built on overseas trade. The scene on the lid depicts salt production, a vital industry for preserving food. The box speaks to the tastes and interests of its owner, likely a wealthy merchant or member of the elite who profited from this global trade. Tobacco itself was a product of colonial exploitation, its popularity in Europe driving the demand for slave labor in the Americas. The box, therefore, is not simply a decorative object but a material symbol of the complex social and economic networks that shaped Dutch society in the 1700s. Understanding this artwork requires us to consider its historical context, researching the economic policies, trade routes, and social hierarchies of the Dutch Golden Age.