1884 年農曆十月 玻璃內畫「清供雪景」圖鼻煙壺 周樂元畫

《薈園一兄大人囑，摹所南山人筆法，周樂元》《甲申孟冬》款 「周」印

紐約蘇富比1990年4月6日，編號382

Hugh Moss、Victor Graham 及曾嘉寶，《A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection》，卷4，香港，2000年，編號466

Bottle: Possible repair (or small bruise?) to a tiny chip on the outer lip. Minute nibble on the outer footrim and tiny smoothed nibbles on the inner footrim. Surface scratches from wear. Painting: Studio condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The poem above the subject of auspicious objects reads is by Zheng Xie 鄭燮 (1693 – 1766), perhaps better known as Zheng Banqiao 鄭板橋. One of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou, he was also a poet; this is one of a series of poems on the subject of orchids to be inscribed on paintings:

          In order to ‘buy’ the spring breeze,

          on a day in the second month,

          They take the sparse plants from last year

          and plant enough to make a field full.

          From across the Yangzi one may gaze,

          but it’s hard to reach them--

          So once they reach Yangzhou

           they’ll be worth more money.

Suonan shanren, to whose influence Zhou attributes his style in this case, is the hao of Zheng Sixiao 鄭思肖 (1241–1318), a painter of the Southern Song who survived into the Yuan dynasty and remained loyal to the fallen Song house. He was particularly known for paintings of bamboo and orchids.

By 1884, Zhou Leyuan exhibits complete mastery of the medium. Although his style evolves slowly during the decade until his last work (the single example from 1893), his mastery is consistent from 1884 onwards. While his later landscapes are immensely impressive and always spectacular, there is a magical, mysterious quality about his finest early landscapes from the years 1884, 1885, and 1886 that is difficult to resist. The landscape scene here is a delightful example of the quality and appeal of this early style.