AN ENAMEL ON COPPER EUROPEAN-SUBJECT SNUFF BOTTLE

famille-rose enamels on copper with gold, of flattened rounded form with a gilt oval foot and slightly everted gilt mouth, masterfully painted on one face with portrait of a European lady in three-quarters profile, her upswept hair revealing a slightly downcast face of rosy cheeks and rose-bud lips, dressed in flowing colorful robes of blue, orange and magenta, delicately holding a hydrangea sprig as if to take in the scent, the reverse painted with a second portrait of a European lady, her arms gently crossed across her chest, also portrayed in three-quarters perspective gazing pensively into the distance, clad in colorful robes, behind her a swirling orange scarf and a farm-house in the distance on a hill-top setting with dramatic gusts, both vignettes enclosed by elaborate scrolling borders, the rounded sides and neck painted with a lush array of flowers and foliate scrolls, a formal floral band above the foot, the base inscribed Qianlong nianzhi ('Made during the Qianlong period') in blue enamel on a turquoise ground, the gilt-bronze stopper possibly original

Robert Hall.

Patrick K. M. Kwok, 'The Joe Grimberg Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles', Arts of Asia, November-December 1993, p. 92, no. 1.
Vanessa F. Holden, 'The Joe Grimberg Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles', Oriental Art, 2002, Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 65-72, figs. 1, 2 & 3.

The bottle is in good condition and the enamels are very strong. It was inspected under UV light and revealed a 1/2 inch diameter circular area of repainting, located on the side of the bottle.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The Chinese emperors of the Qing dynasty, starting with the Kangxi emperor, developed a fascination with European culture and subjects. Their intermediaries to the world of Europe were Jesuit missionaries. During the Qianlong reign, Jesuit artists such as Castiglione became influential at court, as they were attached to the Ruyi Guan, the building within the Palace where designing and painting appear to have taken place.

The popularity of European subjects, particularly ladies, was evident on snuff bottles, as well as on vases and boxes from the Qianlong period. The present bottle is a superb example of this genre, due to its masterful technique of portraying three-dimensionality and depth in each portrait. Notice the fine shading on each woman's face, a European method which contrasts sharply to the linear manner of traditional Chinese painting.

The Palace Museum in Beijing and the National Palace Museum in Taipei each have similar examples in their collection. One showing a lady with a young boy has a similar flourish: a scarf billowing playfully in the wind. It is illustrated in Snuff Bottles in the Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1991, fig. 14, p. 84. Another, featuring portraits of a lady holding floral accoutrements on both faces of the bottle, is more simplistic in its background design and floral ground. It is illustrated in Masterpieces of Snuff Bottles in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 1995, pl. 21, p. 56.

A bottle of the same subject matter, painted with equal confidence as the present example, and which may perhaps have been painted by the same hand, was formerly in The Collection of Mary and George Bloch. It was recently sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 28th-29th May 2010, lot  129.