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Patch box
(c. 1770)
Medium
porcelain (hard-paste)
Measurements
2.6 × 4.2 × 3.6 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Patricia Begg OAM Bequest, 2024
© Public Domain
Gallery location
17th & 18th Century Decorative Arts & Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
Porcelain snuff boxes, like this example relief-moulded in the form of a shell, were used to store a wide range of substances in the eighteenth century, including snuff (shredded tobacco leaves), sweets, pills, rouge and patches or beauty spots. Patches were made of silk, taffeta or leather and came in a range of different shapes. They were worn as fashionable accessories to draw attention to pale skin and to cover up blemishes and scars.
Artwork Details
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