GENEVA, CIRCA 1830, THE COVER ENAMEL BY JEAN-LOUIS RICHTER (1766-1841)

Details

A SWISS ENAMELLED GOLD SNUFF-BOX
GENEVA, CIRCA 1830, THE COVER ENAMEL BY JEAN-LOUIS RICHTER (1766-1841)
rectangular box with canted corners, the sides, base and interior of cover set with panels of translucent dark-blue enamel on an engine-turned ground and hung with gold swags and trellis-work stamped with gold flower-heads, within sky-blue enamel taille d’épargne scrolling borders set at intervals with translucent red enamel pellets, the cover set with an enamel plaque depicting a romantic couple beside a river, with cows and sheep in the foreground and a city with mountains beyond, signed lower left 'Richter', wavy flange with translucent red enamel border, in fitted red leather case
3 3/8 in. (86 mm.) wide

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David McLachlan

dmclachlan@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2650

Lot Essay

Jean-Louis Richter was born in Geneva in 1766 and learned his art from Etienne and Philippe-Samuel-Théodore Roux. He is perhaps the most well known and regarded of the early 19th century enamel painters who specialised in working on gold boxes. He is most renowned for his lakeside and alpine landscapes and is credited with developing the technique of using a translucent background over rayed engine-turning to create the impression of a sun-lit sky.

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