Chinese Maidens & Attendants

QING PERIOD (1644 to 1911)

Chinese Enamel Falangcai 珐琅彩 Copper Snuff Bottle

A magnificent Chinese subject

The bottle compact and of ovoid form superlatively painted on both sides with Chinese maidens and their attendants. Each dressed in pastoral robes, scarves, elaborate flower decorated coiffures.
The maidens and attendants holding various items, all set against finely painted landscape scenes in the background. All framed by scroll work in colours of purple, mauve, green, blue.
The sides with small vignettes painted with bucolic European scenes in puce.
The base with a blue four character Qianlong Period mark against white .

This bottle compares well with that produced in the Imperial Workshops of the Imperial Palace, 造 辦 處 Zaobanchu

Formerly the property of a Japanese collector.

The images are far larger than the actual bottle.

By viewing at this magnification, it is only then, one can truly appreciate the miniature details of this outstanding artwork.

Condition: Very good condition. No losses.

There is no original cap a later copper one is supplied

Refer Large Images for details, quality and condition, they also form the description.

Depending on your computer monitor / phone / etc colour may vary to actual.

Dimensions are maximum measurements
Height about : 5.0 cm
Width about: 4.3 cm

A$3,500

Ref: This bottle bears many similarities both in the subject and the painting style as the Pugh Maidens Bottle . Sotheby's New York . 5 April 2001 Sale # N08077 Lot 377. Sold 475,200 US$

Enamel snuff bottles painted with European scenes were a favourite of the Chinese Court and Chinese collectors in the Qing Period 1644 to 1911.
Snuff bottles were in great demand by western collectors starting in the 19th century and still are.
Snuff bottles with European style artworks were normally based on prints and books transported to China by travellers.
The demand for Chinese art and antiques exploded when the first appropriated artworks taken from the Summer Palace made their way back to England France etc.

Considered by all the major experts such as Bob C. Stevens (the Collectors Book of Snuff Bottles 1976) and the major famous collections, such as Guo'an. Bloch. Meriem. J & J. to name a few.
The finest of all snuff bottles are those that are enamelled on copper, brass, glass, gold.
The art of enamelling was introduced to the Chinese Court in the Kangxi era 1654 to 1722, by the Jesuit Guiseppe Castiglione (Lan Shining).