PROBABLY IMPERIAL, 1740-1800

细节

A FINELY CARVED DUAN STONE SNUFF BOTTLE
PROBABLY IMPERIAL, 1740-1800
Of flattened pear shape, finely carved in low relief on one side with a pair of confronted archaistic kui-dragons forming the character long (dragon), the reverse carved with a further pair of naturalistic dragons, the narrow sides with mask and ring handles, aventurine glass stopper
2½ in. (6.4 cm.) high

来源

Acquired in 1984.

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拍品专文

The dragon is a symbol of the natural world, adaptability and transformation, and is one of the Twelve Symbols of Sovereignty, representing the emperor. The combination of this symbolism with the auspicious long character appears on many works of art that the emperor distributed as gifts.

The presence of mask-and-ring handles and the accomplished carving suggest that this bottle was made at the Palace workshops. For a discussion on the small masks with circular rings on Imperial snuff bottles of the mid-Qing period, see H. Moss, V. Graham and K.B. Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, The J & J Collection, New York, 1993, no. 347.