Museum – Anthropomorphic Snuffbox – Mustachioed Priest – Carved Wood – Folk Art – Satire

Second half of the 19th century France – Massif Central Small carved wooden snuffbox depicting a mustachioed priest with bobbed hair, treated with a realism tinged with irony. The elongated body, carved from a single block of wood, houses the tobacco compartment, while the lid, finely decorated with a flowered and leafy stem, adds a note of softness and contrast to the composition. The deliberately accentuated facial expression – prominent mustache, earnest gaze, mouth sketching a smile – is based on a satirical language specific to 19th-century popular art. This figure of a priest, familiar from the rural world, was often depicted with kindness but not without humor, reflecting a society where the omnipresent clergy also became the subject of affectionate derision. With its formal simplicity and expressive power, this snuff box encapsulates the spirit of popular realism: an anonymous craftsman observing the life of his village and transposing his figures into the material with sincerity. The lid decorated with a floral motif symbolizes vitality, softening the critical verve with a touch of rustic poetry. Monoxyl work, deep brown patina, surface lustrous from use. The face, worn by handling, reveals an unexpected softness in the roughness of the wood. An object both humorous and imbued with memory, this snuff box illustrates the freedom of spirit and the liveliness of the popular view of the world. Condition: beautiful old patina, small chip on the edge of the lid without structural fragility, and crack at the bottom of the snuff box which runs along the back, and non-functional hinge. Dimensions: Length 12.5 cm ALL DELIVERIES ARE MADE BY DHL EXPRESS ONLY.