The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 20, 2025

Snuff Box (Tabatière)

1779–80
made by

Pierre Marie Gault De Saint-Germain

(French, 1754–1842)
France, 18th century
gold and enamel
Overall: 3.4 x 6.8 cm (1 5/16 x 2 11/16 in.)
Gift of Mrs. Edward B. Greene 1957.409
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

The original series painted by Charles Le Brun, The Battles of Alexander (Les Batailles d’Alexandre) (1600s), was commissioned by King Louis XIV of France.

Description

Decorated with images derived from ancient Greek and Roman history in the style of cameos, intricately carved gemstones, this box evokes the rising neoclassical imagery in France. The scenes on the box recount several key events in the life of Alexander the Great. The enameled works were inspired by a series of prints by Sébastien Leclerc which drew from a series of paintings by Charles Le Brun.
  • The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 159 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 159 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 190 archive.org
  • Neo-classicism: Style and Motif. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 23-October 31, 1964).
  • {{cite web|title=Snuff Box (Tabatière)|url=false|author=Pierre Marie Gault De Saint-Germain|year=1779–80|access-date=20 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1957.409