A rare inside-painted fluorite snuff bottle, Ye Zhongsan, dated 1911 (the bottle 1780-1850)
16
A rare inside-painted fluorite snuff bottle,
Ye Zhongsan, dated 1911 (the bottle 1780-1850)
With flat lip and flat recessed foot surrounded by a protruding oval footrim, the interior of the pale green stone painted with a continuous design of catfish, carp and fan-tailed goldfish swimming amidst aquatic plants, inscribed '[Executed by] Ye Zhongsan in the 6th month of the year xinhai', with one seal of the artist yin (seal) in negative seal script, stopper.
2 3/8in (6.1cm) high (2).
Sold for US$ 13,420 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • 螢石內畫鼻煙壺
    葉仲三，1911年作 (壺： 1780-1850)

    Provenance:
    Gerry P. Mack
    Christie's London, 4 October 1999, lot 45

    The present subject matter of fish swimming amidst aquatic plants was a particular favorite with Ye Zhongsan, was introduced into his repertoire in 1903, and continued to be used by the Apricot Grove Studio until the mid-1920s. For another example of this subject matter, see a crystal bottle dated 1904, formerly in the J&J Collection, bearing the same composition of the fish on one side, but with the inscription Longmen Deyi (fulfill your wish at the Dragon Gate) inscribed above, see H.Moss, V.Graham and K.B.Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, the J&J Collection, Hong Kong, 1993, vol.II, p.714, no.436.

    It is believed that from about 1904 onwards Ye Zhongsan began to take advantage of a weakening market for old snuff bottles, more commonly using 18th and 19th century agate and crystal bottles and incorporating their natural inclusions into his painting.

Category: Asian Art / Chinese Works of Art

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