Viscera Box
Viscera box, the main body made of veined grey marble, with a white marble lid. The two sections are joined by brass hinges. On either side of the box, two carved handles are incorporated into the design.
The front of the box features an anthropomorphic decoration depicting two legs, with a sexual organ at the centre concealed beneath a scallop shell. The lock, subtly positioned, evokes a suggestion of chastity. The interior contains two cylindrical compartments.
This object was associated with the funerary traditions of the clergy and nobility and was intended to hold the heart and other viscera, which were subsequently buried in churches or chapels. If such boxes were later repurposed towards the end of the 18th century, this was precisely due to the evolution of these funerary practices. This may explain why they are sometimes referred to as “tobacco boxes” or “pigment boxes.”
Early 18th century
Dimensions:
Height: 17.5 cm
Width: 30 cm
Depth: 15 cm
