Sacred and Profane

REPUBLIC PERIOD (1912 to 1949)

Chinese Enamel Falangcai 珐琅彩 Copper Snuff Bottle

SACRED AND PROFANE - TITIAN
TOTALLY UNIQUE

This bottle was one of twelve bottles painted with Renaissance Art that belonged to the previous Japanese owner. Was advised they were painted on commission during the Republic Period 1912 -1949 for a collector.
Part of the commission was that no other bottles were to be painted with those subjects.
Thus ensuring that the 12 commissioned bottles would be totally unique, one of a kind.
Guangxu Period Mark under. 1875-1908 (Painted Republic Period)

This exquisite painting, would have been painted from a print of the original painting and is an excellent portrayal in miniature.
The fine details, skin tones, the facial expressions, together combine to produce an Enamel 珐琅彩 Falangcai snuff bottle of the same quality as that which were painted in the Imperial Workshops. (Zaobanchu).

A Miniature Masterpiece.

Ref: Wikipedia: Two women sit on a carved ancient Roman sarcophagus that has been converted to a water-trough. Between the two women is a small boy, who may be Cupid, son and companion of Venus. He is looking intently into the water, and splashing a hand in it. The woman on the left is fully and richly dressed; her clothes are now usually recognized as those of a bride, though in the past they have been said to be typical of courtesan wear. In contrast, the woman on the right is nude except for a white cloth over her loins and a large red mantle worn over one shoulder.


Condition: Very good

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$2,000

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 Bottlers 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).