19th century inside-painted and carved rock crystal 'floral' snuff bottle by Gan Xuanwen
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
19th Century
This 19th-century snuff bottle is expertly crafted from clear rock crystal, showcasing a sophisticated combination of shallow relief carving on the exterior and refined inside-painted technique.
The bottle features a flared mouth, a constricted neck, sloping shoulders, and a rounded, flattened body terminating in an oval base. The exterior is adorned with delicate relief carvings of flowering plants, including bamboo and peony, symbolizing longevity and wealth. The interior is painted with a standing chrysanthemum, a motif associated with autumn, complemented by an elegant poetic inscription that enhances its literati appeal.
The interplay between the exterior relief and the interior painting creates a layered, translucent aesthetic of great depth and elegance. The piece is attributed to the renowned master Gan Xuanwen (also known as Gan Xuan or Qingshan), a celebrated Qing Dynasty inside-painting artist known for his calligraphic precision and poetic sensibility. The bottle measures 6 cm in height, reflecting the refined miniature art of the period.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Height
- 6 cm
- Material
- rock crystal
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- inside-painted and shallow relief carving
Design
- Obverse
- inside-painted chrysanthemum with poetic inscription
- Reverse
- exterior relief carving of bamboo and peony
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
- Maker named in listing
- Gan Xuanwen
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.