Antique French Gold Mounted Circular Snuff/Tobacco Box, Portrait of a Lady in the Manner of Cosway - 18th c.

We are delighted to offer this splendid gold-mounted lacquer & tortoise shell snuff/tobacco box made in France, 18th century c.1774-1780.

Highlighting and adorning this lovely circular box is a wonderful central oval portrait of a lady, unsigned, but in the manner of Richard Cosway RA (1742-1821), a leading English miniature portrait artist of the Georgian and Regency era. 

Gold mounting of exotic articles and materials was highly prized and a particular forté of 18th-century French goldsmithing which is apparent in the very fine, elegant and exquisite decorations made around each edge of the box's compartment with a highlighting two-tone gold foliate border on top. 

Examining the miniature reveals a wonderfully delicate, airy yet accurate portrayal of this unknown lady. Working from the edge inward to the centre of the face, each part becomes incremntally more detailed and lifelike. The background combines brushstrokes of various colours to blur and draw attention to the figure. Subsequently, the hair and clothing are still quite rugged, with only her face presenting very detailed usage of sharper lines and shadows/highlights. 

Whilst such details may be easily missed upon a quick glance, the tactful and carefully thought-out layout culminates in the viewer's gaze naturally drawn towards her face and line of sight. A particularly lovely detail is the fine ribbon choker around her neck and the pearl earring, which has been beautifully portrayed with just a speck of bright white accenting, capturing its lustrous and reflective nature.    

The combination of the fine French gold embellishment in combination with an English style portrait is a wonderful counterpoint of interest which poses an interesting thought as to why or how this may have happened.  Whether be it a commission for an English lady who imported the box from France or perhaps a portrait that was sent as a gift which was then mounted into this fine box - one point that is evident is that it was treasured and well kept to have survived two countries and almost 250 years, throughout the ages where transportation was scarce, electricity virtually non-existent and many a conflict arose. 

The inner compartment appears to be lined with tortoise shell above the lacquer and allows for the box to have a wonderfully soft and gentle closure that is still a perfect fit after centuries. 

Overall, a stunning, interesting and elegant object of vertu displaying wonderful French 18th c. goldsmithing and English miniature portrait painting, ideal for box collections or as a spectacular one-off accenting piece in a collection or interior setting. Furthermore, owing to its versatile shape and size, aside from snuff/tobacco, it could also be used to hold sweets, mints, medication or even as a small jewel box.

French hallmarks are present on each gold mount with a decharge mark of a "Singe" indicating its period of 1774-1780. 

*Please note: all images with other items are for display purposes only, this listing is for the item mentioned in the title.

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