Qing Dynasty inside-painted glass snuff bottle, 'Returning Boat in Wind and Rain', by Yan Yutian
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Qing Dynasty
This Qing Dynasty snuff bottle is crafted from clear, crystalline glass and features exquisite inside-painted artistry by the artist Yan Yutian. Measuring 6.2 cm in height, the bottle exhibits a straight mouth, rounded shoulders, and a flattened rectangular body resting on an oval-shaped foot ring.
The internal painting technique displays a high degree of precision and narrative detail. One side of the bottle depicts a fisherman navigating a boat through wind and rain, wearing a straw raincoat and working the oar against the elements, with wind-swept trees leaning along the shore to emphasize the atmospheric turbulence. The opposing side features a character leading a donkey across a bridge, capturing a moment of resistance from the animal.
The composition is accented with calligraphic inscriptions reading 'Wuzi Zhuxuan sanxiong daren zheng, Yutian Yan shi' and includes seals for Yutian, Yu, and Tian. The work is noted for its delicate brushwork and literati painting style, balancing dramatic movement with humorous daily life scenes within a miniature format.
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
- 6.2 cm
- Material
- glass
Technical characteristics
- Decoration method
- inside-painted
Design
- Seals
- Yutian, Yu, Tian
- Obverse
- fisherman in boat through wind and rain
- Reverse
- figure leading a donkey across a bridge
- Inscriptions
- Wuzi Zhuxuan sanxiong daren zheng, Yutian Yan shi
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
- Yan Yutian
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.