Snuffbox in the form of an armadillo

Saint-Cloud factory

ca. 1740–50 · Soft-paste porcelain with enamel decoration; silver mounts · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

In the first half of the eighteenth century, Saint-Cloud produced a wide range of bagatelles, or trifles, in the form of soft-paste porcelain snuffboxes, pommels, cutlery, and cane handles. They were often decorated with exotic figures and landscapes inspired by Asian motifs. This unusual snuffbox depicts an armadillo. A mammal native to South America, armadillos featured in allegorical representations of America as early as the sixteenth century, (seen for example Adrien Collaert’s depiction of America riding a giant armadillo 59.654.10). More than the anatomical accuracy of a naturalist, this smiling creature reflects the imagination of the porcelain modeler and the consumer’s fascination for the exotic.

Artist

Saint-Cloud factory

Date

ca. 1740–50

Medium

Soft-paste porcelain with enamel decoration; silver mounts

Culture

French, Saint-Cloud

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Purchase, Austin B. Chinn gift, in honor of Daniëlle Kisluk-Grosheide, 2020