Museum - Horn Snuffbox, Devil And Creature - Rescue Scene - Folk Art - Ex Voto

Mid-19th century France – Massif Central Finely engraved blond horn snuffbox in the form of a small book, with a metal hinge and a lid decorated with a stylized bird. The reverse presents a scene of great narrative intensity: three figures holding crosses stand on a bank or bridge, while a fourth, below, seems to fall into a body of water where a monumental monstrous fish appears. In the background, a row of houses or chapels structures the composition, accentuating the depth of the decoration. This naïve and powerfully evocative scene refers to a story of rescue or faith triumphing over danger, in the spirit of popular votive offerings of the 19th century. The fish, an ancient motif associated with protection and salvation, here becomes the symbol of the passage between fear and deliverance. The fall of man towards the creature does not evoke a threat, but rather the suspended moment when faith triumphs over the test. The fine incisions, the dotted friezes and the punctuated borders reveal the meticulous work of a self-taught craftsman, more concerned with meaning than symmetry. This controlled naivety gives the whole a profoundly human dimension: that of a popular imagination mixing belief, hope and memory of danger overcome. The horn, carefully polished, offers a warm patina with amber reflections, magnifying the engraving and the slight irregularities of the material. This small object of domestic devotion, at the crossroads of sacred art and personal memory, testifies to a simple and lively spirituality, rooted in the daily life of the French countryside. Condition: small accidents of use, fragile hinge, beautiful old patina. Dimensions: 9 x 8.5 cm ALL DELIVERIES ARE MADE BY DHL EXPRESS ONLY.