SNUFFBOX WITH AN ALLEGORICAL FIGURE OF FLORA

Creator(s): Vasilii Ivanovich Popov (Silversmith)

Currently in storage

About this object

The box is rectangular with cut off corners. Engraved on the cover and heightened with niello is a scene with an allegorical figure of Flora seated (or enthroned?) in the center. She looks to the left and holds a laurel branch in her proper right hand and a horn-shaped basket of flowers in her proper left hand. To her right is a figure of Cupid wearing a quiver of arrows on his back, brandishing his bow against a background of ruins. To her left is a second figure of Cupid, wearing a sort of pastoral straw hat in addition to the quiver of arrows on his back, holding an ornate bow in his proper right hand and a small horn (?) in his left. Around this is a rococo frame of leaves and scrolls. The scene on the underside is framed with a similar rococo series of scrolls and leaves surrounding a standing (or running?), winged figure of Cupid holding a bow. He is centered in a complex rural landscape of trees, fields, fences, and a small cabin. The sides of the box are decorated in niello with a series of landscapes with trees, buildings and small figures.

Object name:

SNUFFBOX WITH AN ALLEGORICAL FIGURE OF FLORA

Made from:

Silver -- niello -- gilding

Made in:

Moscow, Russia

Date made:

ca. 1820

Size:

1.9 × 9.2 × 5.7 cm (3/4 × 3 5/8 × 2 1/4 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:

13.42

Class:

NIELLO

Signature marks:

MARK inside: St. George and the Dragon for Moscow, 84 in a square, V.P in Cyrillic for Vasilii Popov (workmaster in 1816-1868); on edge: 84 in a square, D F in latin script in an oval; tiny illegible mark

Credit line:

Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973