AN INSIDE-PAINTED GLASS 'WINTER LANDSCAPE' SNUFF BOTTLE MENG ZISHOU, 1919

A private West Coast collection.
Sotheby’s New York, 6th April 1990, lot 118.

Robert Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, British Museum, London, 1995, cat. no. 428.
Chinese Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1997.
Christie’s London, 1999.

Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 4, Hong Kong, 2000, no. 640.

Bottle: Small, flat chip on lip surface - 3.5mm. Possible smoothing of the outer footrim. Painting: good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This is another of Meng’s masterly landscapes that is unique to him. He has used white pigment extensively in order to convey the image of the snow-covered landscape. Meng’s use of the white is very impressive; it is well integrated with the ink drawing of the bones of the landscape, which are in turn achieved with excellent brushwork and a lovely deft touch with his ink tones.

On the other main side, the subject, while painted by other artists, appears in a composition entirely Meng’s own. The expansive size of the bottle seems to have inspired Meng here, as the use of an unusually wide format so often inspired these artists.

Meng’s inscription on this side might imply that he is giving the bottle away himself and that Houcheng is yet another of his many alternate names, but in this case the entire inscription relates to his patron Hou and his patron’s uncle, Fushu. Meng places his own signature on the other side to record that he painted it, while Hou merely states that he presented it respectfully.

This is another of the Bloch bottles that is preserved in good condition. It is probably just as well that it was not subjected to snuff given the extensive use of white, which, is a delicate pigment.