The enamel plaque on the lid is inscribed: Vue du Lac et du Jardin Anglais à Munich. Across the lake called the Kleinhesseloher can be seen the two towers of the main church in Munich, the Dom Zu Unserer Lieben Frau‚ also known as the Frauenkirche, and the dome of the church on the Odeonsplatz, St Cajetan, better known as the Theatinerkirche. In the foreground is a boat flying the Wittelsbach colours and two seated soldiers in the Bavarian Napoleonic uniform of dragoons. This uniform might be used as evidence to suggest the snuffbox was made before the final fall of the empire in 1815. At this date the firm of Rémond, Lamy, Mercier & Cie produced a group of snuffboxes inset with painted enamel plaques depicting landscaped gardens, all framed with a pearl border. Others include an ornamental lake in moonlight, in the British Royal Collection, a view of the mosque and park at Schwetzingen, in the collection of the Fondation Napoléon, Paris, and the monopteros in Nymphenburg park, Munich, sold at auction. It is not evident that all the plaques were painted by the same artist; however, the present example may be attributed to Jean Maystre, based on stylistic comparison with the previously cited moonlit parkscape, which is signed Maystre pinxit. Further, the script of the signature corresponds to the inscription on this box. The engraved cipher appears to show the initials JMS or MS below a princely crown. It has been suggested that the initials may represent the princesses Marie (d. 1877) and Sophie (d. 1872), twin daughters, born in 1805, of Maximilian I Joseph, King of Bavaria (1756–1825), and his second wife, Princess Karoline of Baden (1776– 1841).

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