Shell-shaped snuffbox 1740 - 1750

This shell-shaped snuffbox was made in the mid-18th century at the Capodimonte Porcelain Manufactory. It's made of soft-paste porcelain, carefully molded and painted, then framed with gilded metal. Snuff, or powdered tobacco, was a luxury item, and so this box is an object of status. Porcelain was itself a relatively new, expensive material in Europe at this time, with production methods closely guarded. The making of porcelain was a highly skilled, labor-intensive process. First, raw materials were mixed and fired. The shell shape was molded, a difficult task. Then, the delicate painting, and finally the gilding. Each stage required specialized knowledge. Consider all the hands that contributed to this small object. From the miners who extracted the raw materials, to the artisans who mixed, molded, fired, painted, and gilded. All of this is contained within the final form. An object like this asks us to think beyond aesthetics, and to consider the social and economic relations embedded in every material thing.