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Description: | This snuff box has been transfer printed and painted in enamel colours on white enamel. The lid and sides are decorated with brown rococo scrolls and flowers and foliage in natural colours, framing groups of ladies and gentlemen, after the style of Watteau, painted in monochrome pink. Inside the lid is a bright enamel coloured painting of Perseus and Andromeda. This is a re-engraving of the original copper plate engraved by Ravenet. Andromeda, the daughter of Cephus and Cassiopeia, was to be sacrificed to a sea monster sent by the Sea Nymph whom Cassiopeia had insulted. Perseus, the son of Jupiter and Danae, had slain the Gorgon, Medusa, whose looks were so shocking she turned all who saw her into stone. Perseus had been given a polished shield by Minerva and Hermes had given him winged sandals to aid him. He fastened the Gorgon's head to his shield and flew over the place where Andromeda was chained to the rock and when he saw her beauty wanted to save her. When the sea monster appeared he held his shield with the Gorgon's head and this turned the monster into stone. The enamel shows Andromeda naked and chained to the rock while the monster, in the form of a dragon, approaches her. Perseus can be seen flying towards the rock with his trusted shield.
Oblong table snuff box in style of Watteau with painting of Perseus & Andromeda on inside of lid. | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/uk/ | Publisher: | Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Service | Rights holder: | Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Service | Subjects: | Manufacturing industry Metalworking industry Black Country Decorative arts Snuff Mythology Enamels Victorian period Georgian period | Temporal: | 1800 - 1899
Georgian (1714-1837)
Victorian (1837-1901) | Source: | Black Country History | Identifier: | http://www.blackcountryhistory.org/colle... | Go to resource |
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