Copper-body painted enamel snuff bottle with panels of apricot blossoms and sparrows with butterflies, Yongzheng reign (1723-1735), Qing dynasty

Copper-body painted enamel snuff bottle with panels of apricot blossoms and sparrows with butterflies, Yongzheng reign (1723-1735), Qing dynasty

• Image Number: K1E000206N000000000PAB
• Dynasty: Qing dynasty
• Category: Enamel wares
• Function: Container
• Material: Minerals/Metals/Copper
• Description:
  This bronze body painted enamel snuff bottle with black ground flower and bird patterns, with various enamel colors and vivid depiction, seems to be a complete transfer of the painting originally painted on paper silk to the surface of the artifacts, which can be said to be the most significant contribution of enamel painting, breaking through the limitations of craftsmanship. The flat round pot body is decorated with flower and bird paintings in the round openings on both sides. On the one hand, it depicts butterflies and shoot trunks, and on the other hand, it depicts apricot flowers and spring swallows. The style of painting is very similar to the flower and bird paintings in the Qing Palace. The rest are painted with leather ball patterns on the black glaze ground. With painted enamel cover, matched with ivory spoon, the cover is decorated with peacock feather patterns. The pattern design is ingenious, and the bottom is decorated with yellow glaze. In the center is a white ground with double blue circles and red letters “made in Yongzheng” in Song typeface.