A CHINESE INSIDE-PAINTED 'LOTUS POND' SNUFF BOTTLE.

Qing Dynasty, dated 1890, signed Zhou Leyuan (active 1879 – 1893).

The flattened body decorated with lotus blossoms and leaves swaying in the breeze below a short inscription, the reverse with a porous scholar's rock, a vase of blossoms and a kettle, together with a green hardstone stopper, 5.2cm H. (2)

Provenance: English private collection, acquired in China in the early 20th Century, thence by descent to the present owner.

玻璃內畫蓮池圖紋鼻煙蓋壺

一八九零年作

署簽：周樂元

款識：「飲秀山房主人清賞」「庚寅首夏」「周樂元作」。

來源：英國私人收藏，20年代早期得於中國，後傳承至今。

Hugh Moss has described Zhou Leyuan as 'the single most important artist in the entire field of inside-painted snuff bottles'. He founded the popular Beijing School of painting. Every artist of the first phase of the school owes a debt to him including Ding Erzhong, Ma Shaoxuan, Ye Zhongsan, Zi yizi, Sun Xingwu and Yan Yutian.

Please login or create an account to view/request condition reports