Set of Two 1980s Inside Painted Snuff Bottles of the Last Qing Emperors

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This listing is for two inside painted snuff bottles of the last two Emperors of the Qing Dynasty. Both snuff … Read more This listing is for two inside painted snuff bottles of the last two Emperors of the Qing Dynasty. Both snuff bottles are of high quality glass and theirs shape allows good access for the artists to do their meticulous inside painting. Each bottle with the flattened rectangular form that tapers to a raised rectangular foot and flat lip is matched with a light green stone cap.

The front side of the bottle features Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the older man wearing the red headgear of a Qing emperor. On the other side of the bottle is the biography of the emperor, clearly written in rather formal running script. The inscription stated that Guangxu became emperor at the age of 4 and he ruled for 34 years (mostly under the influence of his aunt the Empress Cizi) and he died at age 38 and buried at the Chong Mausoleum at the Western Qing Tombs at Baoding, Hebei Province.

When the bottle was painted after the 1970's the artist may not have access to a photograph of Guangxu, but he managed to capture some likeness. The hat gear and the ornament studded with gems, the court necklace and the ornamentation of the emperor's robe are done accurately.

The younger boy in the other bottle is the likeness of the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty Xuantong who reigned from 1909 to 1912. Puyi was his name and he was born in Beijing in 1906 and died in 1967. His life was featured in a popular Hollywood movie The Last Emperor. On the back of the bottle is his biography which reads in translation : Emperor Xuantong ascended to the throne 3 and reigned for 3 years. He died at age 61 and was buried in Hualong royal cemetery in Beijing. The snuff bottle artist obviously was more influenced by the likeness of Emperor Xuantong as a child in the movie The Last Emperor.

Date: post 1970's
Dimensions: 2.75 inches wide x 0.5 inches deep x 4.25 inches high
ConditionL good See less