Snuffbox with a Depiction of Venus, Amor, and a Turkey

anonymous, anonymous, c. 1750

The snuffbox came into fashion as the snuffing of tobacco became more popular than pipe smoking in the 18th century. Snuffboxes were sometimes decorated with erotic themes, such as the Roman god Vertumnus seducing the nymph Pomona. Others were more personal. The German statesman Heinrich von Brühl had his coat of arms painted on his, while a picture of a turkey refers to the Dutch diplomat Cornelis Calkoen.

  • Artwork typesnuffbox
  • Object numberNG-2014-20
  • Dimensionsheight 3 cm x width 8.5 cm x depth 6 cm
  • Physical characteristicstortoiseshell, gold, ivory and gouache

Identification

  • Title(s)

    • Snuffbox with a Depiction of Venus, Amor, and a Turkey
    • Snuff Box with Venus, Cupid and a Turkey

  • Object type

  • Object number

    NG-2014-20

  • Description

    Snuifdoos vervaardigd van schildpad en met goud ingelegd. Aan de binnenzijde van de deksel een voorstelling in gouache van een liggende halfnaakte vrouw met een kalkoen, die door Amor aan een ketting wordt vastgehouden. De voorstelling is afgeleid van de mythe van Leda en de zwaan.

Creation

  • Creation

    • maker: anonymous, West-Europa (possibly)
    • maker: anonymous, Istanboel (possibly)

  • Dating

    c. 1750

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Material and technique

  • Physical description

    tortoiseshell, gold, ivory and gouache

  • Dimensions

    height 3 cm x width 8.5 cm x depth 6 cm

Explanatory note

  • De snuifdoos was persoonlijk bezit van Cornelis Calkoen, ambassadeur in Istanbul van 1727-1744 en mogelijk in deze periode aan hem cadeau gegeven.

This work is about

  • Person

  • Subject

  • Place

Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    Gift of the heirs of J.C.A. Besier - Th. à Th. van der Hoop, The Hague

  • Acquisition

    gift 2014

  • Copyright

    Public domain

Documentation

    • Dirk Jan Biemond, Pieter Roelofs, Eveline Sint Nicolaas en Ludo van Halem, 'Recent Acauisitions', The Rijksmuseum Bulletin 64 (2016) nr. 1, p. 90-91.
    • Eveline Sint Nicolaas, 'Cornelis Calkoen en Beyaz Gül', in: Fokke Gerritsen en Hanneke van der Heijden (red.), Standplaats Istanbul. Lange lijnen in de cultuurgeschiedenis van Turkije, Amsterdam, 2018, p. 264-271.

Persistent URL

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  • Snuffbox with a Depiction of Venus, Amor, and a Turkey
  • Snuffbox with a Depiction of Venus, Amor, and a Turkey
  • Snuffbox with a Depiction of Venus, Amor, and a Turkey
  • Snuffbox with a Depiction of Venus, Amor, and a Turkey
  • Snuffbox with a Depiction of Venus, Amor, and a Turkey
  • Snuffbox with a Depiction of Venus, Amor, and a Turkey