"He was born at the Château de Rosny near Mantes-la-Jolie into a branch of the House of Béthune a noble family originating in Artois, and was brought up in the Reformed faith, a Huguenot. In 1571, at the age of eleven, Maximilien was presented to Henry of Navarre and remained permanently attached to the future king of France. The young Baron of Rosny was taken to Paris by his patron and was studying at the Collège de Bourgogne at the time of the St Bartholomew's Day Massacre, from which he escaped by discreetly carrying a Catholic book of hours under his arm. He studied mathematics and history at the court of Henry of Navarre" (quoting WIKIpedia). Baron de Rosny's portrait is hand painted in oil paint upon this very old lathe-turned wood snuff box, the age of which could be 200 years old, or could be a great deal earlier. I haven't any way to test it.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type, it's definitely not papier macho, and is lathe-carved wood, quite thin and elegantly crafted. A large table snuff, collector's or museum piece at 3 3/8" diameter, 3/4" in depth. Lacquer exterior and interior. I found it in France. It's amazing to me, the things that emerge from chateaux, connections lost, and moving through the auction houses. Superb portrait, his profile is 1 3/4" from top of head to tip of beard.
