SOLD At a Distance, Near at Hand, Double-sided 18th Century Dutch Engraved Brass Tobacco Box group of portraits The lacquer on the interior

The lacquer on the interior of the box is in very good shape

and need black backing in order to be seen

easily stabilized with a bit of archival tape--I'll send some along with it

but each individually drawn and painted

though the old painted surface is so much better in person

SOLD At a Distance, Near at Hand, Double-sided 18th Century Dutch Engraved Brass Tobacco Box group of portraits The lacquer on the interiorThe is an antique Dutch tobacco box, 18th century, hand engraved on both sides. There is a rich history of these, which in this period commonly portrayed romantic scenes or morality lessons of sorts. I've gone back and forth here, especially as I've found the text a challenge to translate. At first I read it as portraying two scenes of progressive romantic familiarity, in a sort of "inch by inch" way, first reaching for, and then ultimately snuggling