{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O157833"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O157833/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU2619/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU2619/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BU2619","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BU2602","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BU2601","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2008BU2330","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/ © the Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Collection, on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London ","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O157833/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O157833","accessionNumber":"LOAN:GILBERT.486:1, 2-2008","objectType":"Bonbonnière","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The portrait of the Emperor Napoleon I on this box is taken from a painting by Jean-Baptiste Isabey (1767-1855). Although the image was frequently reproduced, both in Isabey's workshop and by other miniaturists, Napoleon himself disliked it. In August 1807, he wrote to Marechal Duroc that the Empress Josephine <i>\"a été fort mécontente des portraits de M. Isabey et elle désirait, ou qu'il fasse mieux ou que l'on employe un autre peintre\" </i> (she was strongly displeased with the portraits of Mr Isabey and wished him either to do better or for another painter to be employed). \r\n\r\nIt has been reproduced in glass micromosaic by Antonio Aguatti of Rome. Micromosaic is a technique in which tiny coloured glass 'tessarae' are placed with tweezers on a surface coated with a slow drying adhesive. The variety of colours available allowed artists to reproduce the tonal range of oil paintings with an extraordinary degree of detail. It was a speciality of Italian workshops, especially in Rome and Florence.\r\n\r\nAccording to the documentation accompanying this box, it may once have been owned by  Martin-Michel-Charles Gaudin, Duc de Gaëte. Gaudin was Napoleon's minister of finance, credited with reestablishing French finances after the disastrous abuse of paper money after the Revolution. Gaudin founded the Banque de France in 1800.\r\n\r\nSir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world’s great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes.  Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.","physicalDescription":"Circular yew wood bonbonnière with waisted sides, the cover set with a micromosaic of Napoleon Bonaparte, the box lined with gilt base metal. Napoleon is dressed in the uniform of the Horse Guards, a dark green double-breasted coat with red piping and collar and gold epaulettes. He wears the red sash, the badge, and the eagle of the Legion of Honour and the cross of the Iron Crown of Lombardy.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Antonio Aguatti","id":"A22301"},"association":{"text":"mosaicist","id":"AAT25276"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"yew","id":"AAT12774"},{"text":"gilt metal","id":"x35080"},{"text":"mosaic glass","id":"AAT260731"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"},{"text":"micromosaic","id":"x42499"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Yew wood, gilt metal and glass micromosaic","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BU2619","2008BU2602","2008BU2601","2008BU2330"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"71","id":"THES49723"},"free":"","case":"CA018","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"71","id":"THES49723"},"free":"","case":"CA018","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"bonbonniere","id":""}],[{"text":"bonbonniere","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"box"},{"place":{"text":"Rome","id":"x29106"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"mosaic"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1819-38","earliest":"1819-01-01","latest":"1838-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"ca.1810","earliest":"1805-01-01","latest":"1814-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"8.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"2.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measurements checked 20/12/23","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Post-Revolutionary mark of a French goldsmith as used on plate metal, possibly 'SS' and a device beneath \"doublé\"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In the base and on the lid"},{"content":"Mark indicating the quantity of gold used in the article","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In the base and on the lid"},{"content":"Restricted warranty mark for silver, Paris, August 16, 1819 - May 9, 1838","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In the base and on the lid"},{"content":"A second mark indicating the amount of gold used in the article","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In the walls and on the bezel"},{"content":"'Aguatti'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Signed on the mosaic"}],"objectHistory":"Provenance: Traditionally, Martin-Michel-Charles Gaudin, duc de Gaete, thence by descent.  Mademoiselle de Girardin, 1934.  Sale, Bonham's London, lot 70, May 1, 1990. Acquired by Arthur Gilbert from S.J. Phillips Ltd, London, 1990.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Yew wood bonbonnière, the cover set with a micromosaic of Napoleon Bonaparte, the box lined with gilt base metal, Paris, 1819-1838","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Truman, Charles.<u>The Gilbert collection of gold boxes</u>, Vol. I. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1991, cat. no. 42, pp. 132-3.  ISBN.0875871623"},{"reference":{"text":"Schroder, Timothy. <i>Gold boxes : from the Gilbert collection : an exhibition</i>, Los Angeles : Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1986","id":"AUTH354598"},"details":"27","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Napoleon I","id":"N1899"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"5. Bonbonnière with mosaic of Napoleon Bonaparte, 1810–38\r\n\r\nMuseum no. Loan:Gilbert.486:1, 2-2008","date":{"text":"16/11/2016","earliest":"2016-11-16","latest":"2016-11-16"}}],"partNumbers":["LOAN:GILBERT.486:1-2008","LOAN:GILBERT.486:2-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"486","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:GILBERT","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MM 288"},{"type":{"text":"Arthur Gilbert Number","id":"THES50383"},"number":"MIN 73"},{"type":{"text":"The Gilbert Collection, Somerset House","id":"THES50384"},"number":"1996.574"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","bonbonniere [1]","bonbonniere [2]"],"assets":["2024NW1934","2019LU1420","2019LW9247"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-18","recordCreationDate":"2008-06-26","availableToBook":false}}