Lot 212
CHINESE INSIDE-PAINTED 'ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOM' GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE
YE ZHONGSAN (1875-1945), DATED 1895
Auction: 06 November 2026 from 10:00 GMT
Description
葉仲三 1895年（乙未） 玻璃內畫三國演義圖鼻煙壺
painted on one side with a scene depicting the return of Liu Bei on horse to the hut of Zhuge Liang, the reverse depicting a gentleman, Huang Chengyan, whom he met, seated atop a mule crossing a bridge with his attendant, all beneath a long poem, dated to Yi Wei year, corresponding to 1895AD, signature and seal of the artist
Dimensions
6cm high without stopper
Provenance
Private Scottish Collection, Broughty Ferry; inherited from the current owner's parents who collected these snuff bottles in California during 60s.
蘇格蘭私人收藏，Broughty Ferry；繼承自現任藏家之父母，其父母於1960年代在美國加州收藏此批鼻煙壺。
Footnote
Ye Zhongsan (1875–1945) was a renowned Beijing master of inside-painted snuff bottles and one of the leading artists of the late Qing dynasty to Republic Period. He was known for his broad range of subjects, including figures, landscapes, flowers and birds, insects, and scenes from classical literature. His works are distinguished by their strong, vivid colours, lively compositions and refined brushwork, earning him a reputation for being both elegant and accessible. Alongside Zhou Leyuan and Ma Shaoxuan, he is regarded as one of the foremost masters of the Beijing school of inside-painted snuff bottles. The art of Ye Zhongsan was subsequently continued by his sons, who helped transmit and develop the Ye school of inside painting and influenced later generations of artists.
Compare to an inside-painted glass snuff bottle, signed Ye Zhongsan, dated 1900, with a similar scene, previously in the estate of Martha M. Renk, sold at Christie's New York, 20 Sep 2005, lot 426. Another similar rock-crystal inside-painted bottle, with one side of a similar scene, sold at Bonhams London, 2 November 2023, lot 418.