Bottle ID: 00927

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REALGAR, MONKEY ASTRIDE A HORSE & GOATS W/LANDSCAPE SCENE

Date: 1730-1800

Height: 55 mm

Glass, ovoid form, of swirling red, yellow and orange tones in imitation of realgar, carved in relief on one main side with a monkey astride a galloping horse over rocky ground in pursuit of a wasp flying beneath a pine tree, from which hangs a box; the reverse with three goats under a leafy tree watching the setting sun.

Similar Examples:

Crane Collection nos. 362 and 723
Lawrence, Clare. Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Dick Hardy Collection and other sources, 1991, p. 27, no. 53.
Seattle Art Museum, 1998, Bottles of Delight: The Thal Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles, p. 42, no. 14.
Moss, Hugh, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang. The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle - The J & J Collection, 1993, Vol. II, pp. 609-610, no. 366.

Provenance:

Asian Art Studio
Beaussant Lefevre, Paris, November 18, 2005, lot 193
A Parisian family [1911-2005]
La Galerie Scie-Ta-Min, 26 rue Caumartin, Paris, France, 1911

Exhibited:

Annual Convention ICSBS Toronto, October 2007

There are many uncarved glass bottles in imitation of realgar in collections today, but very few which are subsequently carved. Approximately forty "carved realgar" glass bottles have been published to date, which seems to be a proportionately low amount when compared to even a cursory count of the uncarved examples. This is odd given the manner in which "realgar" glass is made with the resulting "hidden" color tones under the main surface color, which can be fruitfully revealed by an accomplished carver. It seems likely, therefore, that one workshop would have been responsible for the carved examples with varying degrees of artistic success. While some carved bottles are stiffly executed, this bottle is carved with phenomenal fluidity. The contrast of the detailed and vibrant carving with the swirling orange and brown background gives the impression on one side of urgency as the horse is galloping through the forest; while the other side, with the same background, appears to have an air of sultry calm as the goats comtemplate the evening sun.

Three goats staring up at the sun (the Great Yang) makes a reference to an auspicious phrase: sanyang kaitai which means prosperity in the Springtime. This refers to the New Year when there is renewal and hope for a change in fortune or for prosperity to come. This bottle is charged with meaning as the reverse with the monkey mounted on the horse in pursuit of a wasp alludes to the phrase: mashang fenghou or "may you immediately be appointed to a high ranking position". This suggests that this bottle was intended to be given, or was made for, an official in the Palace with wishes for his speedy promotion in the New Year.

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