A FAMILLE-ROSE PORCELAIN 'WANG XIZHI' SNUFF BOTTLE QING DYNASTY, DAOGUANG PERIOD

Sotheby’s London, 7th June 1990, lot 8.
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 19th April 1992, lot 409.

Robert Kleiner, Boda Yang, and Clarence F. Shangraw, Chinese Snuff Bottles: A Miniature Art from the Collection of George and Mary Bloch, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1994, cat. no. 152.
National Museum of Singapore, Singapore, 1994-5.

Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 6, Hong Kong, 2007, no. 1335.

The gilding is worn from the lip. There is one tiny chip to one of the bat-shaped handles. There is also slight wear to the colours of the red blossoms. The overall condition is otherwise good.
"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."

Under Sale 7, lot 168, the misinterpretation of mask handles on some of the Daoguang-period bottles of this shape was discussed. Many of those bottles have bizarre handles resembling insects; however, the original intention was obviously understood by the enameller of this bottle, who has used gold enamel detail to transform the ambiguous shapes back into animal masks. The legs have again become a curly mane, and the eyes are back in the right place.

The subject matter here is the same as on the two blue-and-white versions (Sale 7, lots 18 and 116), as is the composition, endorsing the belief, yet again, that many different types of ware were all produced at the same kiln and to the same designs, taking advantage of the full range of ceramic possibilities. Whether or not that kiln was the imperial kiln one has no idea in this particular instance; the fact of a palace original inspiring the form need not imply an imperial product by the mid-nineteenth century, when kilns at Jingdezhen were open to any commercial possibilities. It is suspected bottles of this form may date from the latter part of the reign rather than from the early years, but in any case a Daoguang date, or one very shortly thereafter, is reasonably certain.

The scenes represent the ideal literati life, with a scholar on one side seated in the countryside reflecting on this and that while his servant stands quietly behind him holding his wrapped qin in case he should feel moved to play, although it appears to be rather a short qin and he may have difficulty teasing a full range of notes out of it.

On the other side, the goose identifies the character leaning against the trunk of a tree as the famous calligrapher Wang Xizhi (321 – 379). Any scholar specifically associated with geese by this time is likely to be Wang. Because of his cultural status as one of the great heroes of calligraphy, he was frequently invoked among the literati in the decorative arts and almost constantly in their calligraphic art.

Two other bottles from the same series are in Sotheby’s, New York, 6 April 1990, lot 6, and Hall 2003, no.78.