The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 20, 2025

Snuff Box (Tabatière)

1753–54
goldsmith

Jean Ducrollay

(French, 1709–1787)
painter

Louis Nicolas van Blarenberghe

(French, 1716–1794)
France, 18th century
gold and glass with miniatures
Overall: 3.4 x 5.6 cm (1 5/16 x 2 3/16 in.)
Gift of Mrs. Edward B. Greene 1957.412
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

The Ducrollay family was one of the most sought-after Parisian goldsmith workshops under the reign of French King Louis XV.

Description

In 18th-century France ornately enameled boxes that held snuff—powdered tobacco—became a popular accessory in the French court. This object’s rectangular shape differs from early work attributed to Jean Ducrollay. Though the light colors, floral borders, and depictions of lively outdoor recreation are representative of earlier rococo imagery, the rectangular shape and simple frieze make it a primary example of rising neoclassicism.
  • The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 139 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. 139 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. 183 archive.org
    Oberer, Angela, and Rosalba Carriera. Rosalba Carriera. London: Lund Humphries, 2023. Mentioned and reproduced: p. 20-21, fig. 9
  • {{cite web|title=Snuff Box (Tabatière)|url=false|author=Jean Ducrollay, Louis Nicolas van Blarenberghe|year=1753–54|access-date=20 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1957.412