Chinese inside-painted 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' glass snuff bottle, Ye Zhongsan, 1895
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1895
This Chinese glass snuff bottle is a fine example of the inside-painting technique associated with the Beijing school, executed by the renowned master Ye Zhongsan (1875–1945).
Measuring 6 cm in height without its stopper, the bottle is meticulously decorated on the interior surfaces with intricate scenes drawn from the classical literature 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'. One side features the return of Liu Bei on horseback to the hut of Zhuge Liang. The reverse depicts Huang Chengyan, a gentleman met by Liu Bei, seated upon a mule and crossing a bridge accompanied by his attendant. The artwork is complemented by an accompanying long poem calligraphed onto the surface.
The piece is dated to the Yi Wei year, corresponding to 1895, and bears the signature and personal seal of the artist. Ye Zhongsan is celebrated for his vivid colors, balanced compositions, and sophisticated brushwork, cementing his status as one of the foremost practitioners of this delicate and exacting traditional craft during the late Qing dynasty.
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
- glass
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- inside-painted
Design
- Obverse
- Scene depicting the return of Liu Bei on horse to the hut of Zhuge Liang
- Reverse
- Scene of Huang Chengyan on a mule crossing a bridge with an attendant
- Decoration
- Calligraphic poem
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
- Ye Zhongsan
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.