A vivid and artistically coherent example of late Russian Art Nouveau, this silver snuffbox was produced by the craftsmen of the 6th Moscow Jewellers’ Artel between 1908 and 1917. The octagonal form of the body emphasises the architectural clarity of the object and provides a structural framework for a complex, multi-layered decorative programme characteristic of Moscow enamel production in the early twentieth century.
The body and hinged lid are adorned with high-quality cloisonné enamel on silver, executed with finely applied silver cloisons and a rich, carefully balanced colour palette. The decorative composition combines geometric bands, vegetal motifs and symbolic representations of natural elements. The central motif on the lid depicts a mythical flower-tree bearing fruits and berries, as if emerging from the edge of an epic forest. Its symmetrical growth establishes the vertical axis of the composition and alludes to themes of life cycles, growth and fertility.
In the corner zones and along the lateral registers, an ambivalent system of undulating and spiral motifs unfolds. In the upper areas these forms evoke the celestial sphere, clouds and rain-bearing skies, while in the lower registers they transform into images of meadow grasses, bodies of water and fertile earth. The side panels alternate scenes of vegetal flowering and aquatic symbolism, complemented by bands of diamonds, diagonals and spirals. The chamfered corners are articulated with dynamic diagonal compositions set against a light enamel ground, enhancing the sense of rhythm and movement.
The interior surface of the snuffbox is fully gilded.
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SILVER Seller in Alpes-Maritimes, France
