Snuff bottle, rock crystal, the decoration depicts a scene from the ballet The White Haired Girl, China, ca.1970
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1966-1974
Snuff bottle of rock crystal, painted on the inside. Decoration is derived from one of the few ballets officially sanctioned by the Cultural Revolution. It is an example of the way some traditional crafts were fostered as patriotic activities and allowed to continue within the prevailing ideology.
The continued production of snuff bottles in a Communist ideological context is particularly interesting, since they might have been expected to stand as a cipher for the luxury and decadence of the Qing dynasty, or for the subjection of Chinese crafts to Western imperialist influences.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 2
- 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
- Dimensions
- Height 6.4 cm
- Materials and techniques
- Rock crystal, painted on the inside and coral stopper
Technical characteristics
- Place recorded
- China
Identification
- Candidate id
- vam-O8301
- Museum object number
- FE.10&A-1989
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked single-object source. Wider type attribution and authenticity have not been independently verified.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type and source attribution against specialist references.