Curiosity du Jour: The Intimate Little World of Nun Boxes

Curiosity du Jour: The Intimate Little World of Nun Boxes

A 19th century nun box from Metz © Association Trésors de Ferveur Let’s say you’re rummaging around the dusty recesses of a centuries-old French convent, as one does, half-expecting a stray rosary or two, when suddenly you happen upon a miniature wooden box — no bigger than a jewellery case, adorned with tiny religious figurines, bits of dried flowers, and perhaps a painting of a saint. You’ve just discovered a boîte de nonne, quite literally a …