France, Napoleon III Period — Gilt-bronze Miniature Salt Cellar With Rustic Scene

Miniature salt cellar in gilt bronze, depicting a rustic young boy leading a dog-drawn cart. The two-wheeled cart carries a wicker basket or pannier with a hinged lid, forming a table box traditionally used as a salt cellar, pepper pot or spice box.
France. Napoleon III period (Second Empire, mid-nineteenth century).
H_11 cm W_18 cm
Very good condition.

Typical of the picturesque and eclectic taste in vogue during the Second Empire, this animated little scene draws upon the popular genre subjects of nineteenth-century art. The quality of the chasing—from the details of the clothing and the dog’s coat to the woven texture of the wickerwork—and the survival of its original gilding make it a charming curiosity for the dining table.
The use of richly sculpted gilt-bronze figures and narrative motifs in tableware reflects the Second Empire’s taste for ornamental and theatrical decorative arts