Chinese Beijing-enamel snuff bottle with European-style figures, Qing dynasty
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
This Chinese Beijing-enamel snuff bottle, dating to the Qing dynasty, features a distinct oval form and is decorated with European-subject imagery. The body is finely painted in soft pastel colors, showcasing a scene of a Western lady with a child nestled in her lap.
They are seated beside a vase of roses beneath a tree, with Western-style buildings visible in the distance. This intricate figurative scene is contained within a shaped cartouche, which is framed by a decorative gilt leafy border. The reverse of the bottle is similarly decorated with a corresponding figurative scene. The surrounding field is finished in a vibrant green ground, embellished with scrolling foliage executed in gilt.
The piece stands at a height of 6cm. The underside of the bottle features a blue enamel four-character mark attributed to the Qianlong period. This vessel represents the delicate craftsmanship of Chinese enamel work combined with the popular European-influenced artistic motifs of the era.
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
- 6cm
- Material
- Beijing-enamel
Technical characteristics
- Mark
- four-character blue enamel Qianlong mark to base
Design
- Ground
- green with gilt scrolling foliage
- Obverse
- Western lady with a boy, vase of roses, tree, and buildings
- Reverse
- similarly decorated
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.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.