Snuffbox 1765 - 1766

This oval snuffbox was made by Jean-Joseph Barrière, a goldsmith working in Paris during the latter half of the 18th century. It is made from gold, enamel, and mother-of-pearl. Snuffboxes like this were luxury items, coveted by both men and women in aristocratic circles. They testify to the centrality of tobacco consumption in the rituals of sociability that characterised pre-revolutionary France. This box would have signalled refinement and elegance. The imagery here evokes a world of leisure, love, and pastoral fantasy. Yet this was also a time of growing social inequality in France. Historians examine such objects alongside other evidence, such as letters, diaries, and political pamphlets, to create a rounded picture of the period. The art object becomes a touchstone for wider social and cultural enquiry, allowing us to ask questions about the politics of luxury.