Consular Snuffbox With The Profile Of Bonaparte, First Consul

Engraved crystal after Louis-Simon Boizot. France, early 19th century, circa 1802-1804. An elegant oval snuffbox in powdered tortoiseshell or molded horn, with a straw-colored lacquered interior, the lid highlighted with fine gold lines and centered with an oval crystal medallion set in a circular gilt mount. The medallion features, engraved in intaglio, the profile of Bonaparte as First Consul, according to an iconographic type directly inspired by the model created at the beginning of the Consulate by the sculptor Louis-Simon Boizot (1743-1809), director of the sculpture workshop at the Sèvres manufactory. The portrait is distinguished by the characteristics typical of this pre-imperial official effigy: shortened hair revealing the ears, a few slightly wavy locks on the forehead, a full and determined face, a direct gaze, and a double-breasted uniform with a high collar adorned with a braid of oak leaves and acorns. This type of portrait, disseminated very early in the decorative arts based on Boizot's models, belongs to the first official representations of the new head of state after the coup of 18 Brumaire. It marks the iconographic transition between the image of the revolutionary general and that of the First Consul, founder of a new political order, before the transformation of this iconography into an imperial portrait after 1804. The snuffbox is part of the tradition of Napoleonic luxury objects of sociability, where the tobacco box, an everyday accessory of the European elite, became a privileged medium for political representation and adherence to the regime. Mounts combining dark organic materials—tortoiseshell, horn, or similar compositions—with engraved or molded crystal medallions depicting historical or political profiles represent a refined production of the first third of the 19th century. Due to the quality of its composition, the historical significance of its consular iconography, and the presence of an engraved crystal medallion reproducing a major prototype of Napoleonic sculpture, this piece falls into the sought-after category of early Napoleonic objects, particularly prized for their chronological proximity to the early years of the regime. Condition: Good overall condition; signs of wear and minor surface imperfections, small localized cracks at the corners, and partial losses to the gold trim, with no breaks or apparent restoration. Dimensions: Length: 9.5 cm Width: 5 cm Height: 2.5 cm France, early 19th century.