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DiaporamaSouvenir with portrait of a man
Neoclassicism
701
2.0cm x 2.0cm
Louis Marie Sicardi (? – ?)
A master of portraiture, John Singer Sargent captured the elegance and psychology of his subjects with works like 'Madame X' and 'The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit', inviting you to discover a world of refined beauty.
In eighteenth-century Europe, Paris led the production of high-quality luxury goods. Parisian goldsmiths made a wide range of small, personal articles such as snuffboxes; étuis to hold sealing wax, tweezers, or utensils for sewing; souvenirs, which contained thin ivory tablets for note taking; and shuttles for knotting lace. Gold snuffboxes and boxes decorated with portrait miniatures were prized and frequently given as royal gifts, often to ambassadors or members of the court in lieu of cash payments for their services. Coveted and admired, these boxes were produced from a variety of materials. The best were skillfully made of gold and embellished with diamonds, enameled decoration, lacquer, and other luxurious materials. By the middle of the century, the taking of snuff had become an entrenched social ritual, and the snuffbox, too, had become an important social prop. Snuffboxes were considered highly fashionable accessories, with some merchants advertising new boxes with each change of season. The popularity of snuffboxes extended to all levels of society, and for those who could not afford gold, boxes were produced in less expensive materials such as silver, tortoiseshell, porcelain, or domestically produced lacquer.
About this artwork
- Title: Souvenir with portrait of a man
- Artist: Louis Marie Sicardi
- Year: 701
- Original dimensions: 2.0cm x 2.0cm
- Format: Portrait
- Copyright status: Under copyright
- Creative period: Late Medieval
- Corpus context: 18th century france , sicardi's signature
- Main color: Gray
- Keywords: elegant portrait art , french portrait artwork , gold frame portrait
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