Snuff Box: Portrait of Duchess of Marlborough
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
c. 1775
This oval snuff box was crafted around 1775 in Paris, France, by the French artist Nicolas André Courtois (1734–1806). Measuring 4 × 8.3 × 6.4 cm (1 9/16 × 3 1/4 × 2 1/2 in.), the piece is executed in gold, enamel, and diamonds.
The lid features a central miniature portrait of the Duchess of Marlborough, set within an oval medallion bordered by diamonds. The portrait shows the subject against a neutral backdrop flanked by drapery motifs, while the remainder of the lid and the sides are embellished with deep red enamel panels. Chased gold borders depicting foliage and classical drapery festoons frame the enamel sections around the box's circumference.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Gold, enamel, and diamonds
- Dimensions
- 4 × 8.3 × 6.4 cm (1 9/16 × 3 1/4 × 2 1/2 in.)
Technical characteristics
- Maker recorded
- Nicolas André Courtois, French, 1734-1806, Paris, France
- Place recorded
- Paris
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Art Institute of Chicago collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Snuff Box: Portrait of Duchess of Marlborough
- Museum object number
- 1950.1616
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.