Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Chen Zhongsan Inside Painted Snuff Bottle

In Bottles > Snuff Bottles > Show & Tell.
ho2cultcha's loves11985 of 22752LIEBERMANN POTTERY BANTU TILEVintage Vivah Beetle Brooch, Canada, Circa 1970-80
10
Love it
0
Like it

Collectables59Collectables59 loves this.
ho2cultchaho2cultcha loves this.
doodiewizdoodiewiz loves this.
MasterMaster loves this.
hanksjameshanksjames loves this.
racer4fourracer4four loves this.
auraaura loves this.
vetraio50vetraio50 loves this.
fleafinderfleafinder loves this.
See 8 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 7 years ago

    cshapiro
    (177 items)

    I really like this bottle even though the colors are a bit faded and some of the art on the reverse is obliterated.
    You can still read his signature, and he has such a distinct style!
    I have a larger bottle of his that is unsigned but the artwork on that one is in wonderful shape.
    On this one the opening to the bottle is extremely small making the painting even more impressive.

    A little history about the artist from Sotheby's:
    Chen Zhongsan is a late-comer in the Beijing school whose dated bottles span a little over a decade between 1907 and 1919. He maintained his own distinctive style throughout his career. He was obviously a commercial artist and primarily a decorative one, as were so many of the followers of Zhou Leyuan, but some of his work rises above the merely decorative. He is perhaps better viewed as a folk artist, so that instead of seeking in vain for lofty brushwork and other hidden languages of Chinese art, one can concentrate on the naïve, childlike charms of most of his subject matter, which is always rewarding.
    He borrowed subjects from other commercial artists without fear or favour but always managed to infuse them with his own distinctive style.

    Chen Zhongsan painted almost exclusively in glass, as did a number of the more decorative artists of the period, suggesting that there was a price range beyond which these artists were not able to sell their works too readily, prompting them to confine themselves to the cheapest material available for painting. He also seems to have used a range of rather fatter glass bottles than was usual for the school.

    logo
    Snuff Bottles
    See all
    A FINE CHINESE COPPER RED DECORATED DRAGON PORCELAIN SNUFF BOTTLE 18/19THC
    A FINE CHINESE COPPER RED DECORATED...
    $910
    A GOOD CHINESE JADEITE JADE SNUFF BOTTLE AND STOPPER 19THC
    A GOOD CHINESE JADEITE JADE SNUFF B...
    $160
    GROUP OF THREE CHINESE PORCELAIN SNUFF BOTTLES 19THC
    GROUP OF THREE CHINESE PORCELAIN SN...
    $300
    VERY NICE CHINESE BLUE & WHITE MINIATURE VASE, SNUFF BOTTLE 18/19THC
    VERY NICE CHINESE BLUE & WHITE MINI...
    $182
    logo
    A FINE CHINESE COPPER RED DECORATED DRAGON PORCELAIN SNUFF BOTTLE 18/19THC
    A FINE CHINESE COPPER RED DECORATED...
    $910
    See all

    Comments

    1. racer4four racer4four, 7 years ago
      The expressions on their faces are wonderful. How he did that in such a small space is masterful.
    2. bijoucaillouvintage bijoucaillouvintage, 7 years ago
      It's a piece of art indeed!
    3. cshapiro cshapiro, 7 years ago
      Thanks racer4four and bijoucaillouvintage!
    4. Master Master, 7 years ago
      Amazing piece

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.