European Maiden

QING PERIOD (1644 to 1911)

Chinese Enamel Falangcai 珐琅彩 Copper Snuff Bottle

A superb European subject
The bottle of flattened circular form.
An exquisitely finely detailed painted miniature masterpiece.
A flaxen haired maiden dressed in red holding a white haired dog. Visible in the background a lake, a tall building on a small peninsula, rolling shrubbery.
The reverse, a similar maiden dressed in red and puce.
Her left hand holding a yellow fruit, behind is green shrubbery, an Ionian pillar.
Both scenes set within a scrolling baroque cartouche.
The sides in walnut brown, a lotus blossom issuing stemmed leafage.
An elaborate collar edged in white, blue red trefoils on a yellow ground. The foot bordered in puce decorated with a centralised ruyi head under each cartouche
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 (lost over time). a modern one can be 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 : 5.6 cm
Width about: 4.7 cm

A$2,500
Ref: Sotheby's Hong Kong 30 Oct. 2000. Lot 515.
A similar theme Sold HK$ 828,250

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).