Jewelry box. Baccarat. Empire period, ca. 1810.

Jewelry box. Baccarat. Empire period, ca. 1810.
Cut crystal.
Mounted in gilded bronze.
Measurements: 9,3 × 9,5 × 7 cm.

Elegant cut crystal jewelry box, belonging to the First French Empire period. It is mounted with delicate gilded bronze structures finely chiseled. The piece has a rectangular shape, with body and lid of translucent glass cut in rhomboidal geometric motifs, characteristic of French luxury production of the time, associated with manufactures such as Baccarat.

The gilt bronze frames, which outline the mouth and rims of the lid, are decorated with an incised foliage fretwork, achieving a harmonious contrast between the transparency of the glass and the warm glow of the metal. The purity of the lines, the symmetry of the design and the refinement of the finishes fully evoke the neoclassical and imperial taste, inspired by classical antiquity and promoted during Napoleon I's reign.