AN INSIDE-PAINTED GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE, BY WANG XISAN (born 1938), DATED 1979 China. The ovoid body supported on a short thick foot, the shoulder carved in relief with beast masks suspending mock ring handles and surmounted by a broad cylindrical neck. Finely painted to one side with an angry boy attempting to stop a white cat from eating his pet bird, the helpless animal already trapped in the cat's mouth, the open birdcage on the ground beside them, all below a poetic inscription. The other side with a boy chasing a butterfly amid rocks and bamboo.

Inscriptions: To one side, 'The bird has entered the cat's mouth. The boy is angry and mimics the hero Wu Song to help the bird', dated 'In Autumn of the Year of Jiwei (corresponding to 1979) in Yihuzhai', and signed 'Wang Xisan'.

Provenance: Robert Hall, London, c. 1990. An old English private collection, by repute acquired from the above and thence by descent within the family. Robert Hall is one of the leading dealers of Chinese Snuff Bottles. He has played a vital role in the formation of many of the world's great collections, including the Mary and George Bloch Collection. His wide knowledge of the subject has enabled him to produce numerous publications and articles, such as his series Chinese Snuff Bottles I to XVI (1987-2011).
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear and manufacturing irregularities. The base with remnants of red lacquer.

Stopper: Transparent green glass
Weight: 87.1 g
Dimensions: Height including stopper 70 mm, Diameter neck 21 mm and mouth 7 mm

Wu Song, also known as Wu the Second, is a legendary hero recounted since the 13th century and one of the well-known fictional characters in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. A story in the Water Margin related how Wu slayed a widely feared tiger, to which the inscription on the present bottle refers in a humorous manner.

Born in 1938, Wang Xisan (Wang Ruicheng) was the star pupil of Ye Bengqi, the son of Ye Zhongsan, the artist who revitalized the Beijing school of painting in the late 1950s. For a discussion on the artist Wang Xisan see Moss, Graham, Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles, the Mary and George Bloch Collection, Volume 6, Part 1, Hong Kong, 2008, pp. 273-275. The authors note, “As an artistic genius, Wang rapidly became one of the finest of all enamellers, both artistically and technically, that China has ever produced.” The artist paints glass snuff bottles and interior-painted snuff bottles, showing great artistry in both.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 24 November 2012, lot 682
Price: HKD 275,000 or approx. EUR 44,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An inside-painted agate snuff bottle Wang Xisan, dated 1979 (the bottle late Qing dynasty)
Expert remark: Compare the closely related depiction of a boy with cat and pet bird to one side. Note that this bottle is made from agate and was repurposed by the artist.


1979年王習三《嬰戲圖》内畫鼻烟壺
中國。直頸，長方圓角，橢圓形圈足，兩肩獸面輔首。壺一面為一個男童試圖阻止一隻白貓吃他的鳥，這只無助的鳥已經被貓叼在嘴裡，旁邊地上有一個打開的鳥籠；另一邊是一個幼童在岩石和竹子中追逐蝴蝶。

款識：一面為：翠羽惜如命，竟入貓嘴裏，憤怒學武松，懲強顯身手。己未菊月作於一壺齋，王習三。

來源：倫敦Robert Hall，約1990年；一個英國私人舊藏，據説購於上述收藏，在同一家族保存至今。Robert Hall是中國鼻烟壺的主要經銷商之一。他在世界上許多偉大收藏的形成中發揮了至關重要的作用，包括Mary 和 George Bloch Collection收藏。他對鼻烟壺的了解使他能夠發表大量出版物和文章，例如他的中國鼻烟壺系列 I 至 XVI（1987-2011年）。
品相：狀況極好，輕微磨損，製造不規則。圈足内紅漆殘留。

壺蓋：透明綠色玻璃
重量：87.1 克
尺寸：總高70毫米，頸部直徑 21毫米，壺口直徑 7毫米

生於1938年的王習三（原名王瑞成）是1950年代末復興北京鼻烟壺内畫派的畫家葉仲三之子葉菶祺的弟子。有關藝術家王習三的討論，請參閱 Moss，Graham，Tsang，《A Treasure of Chinese Snuff Bottles，the Mary and George Bloch Collection》，第6冊，第 1部分，香港，2008年，頁273-275。作者指出，“As an artistic genius，Wang rapidly became one of the finest of all enamellers，both artistically and technically，that China has ever produced.”（作為藝術天才，王先生迅速成為中國有史以來最優秀的琺瑯師之一，無論是藝術上還是技術上。） 這位藝術家在料器鼻烟壺和內畫鼻烟壺方面表現出極高的天賦。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港邦瀚斯，2012年11月24日，lot 682
價格：HKD 275,000（相當於今日EUR 44,000）
描述：1979年王習三瑪瑙內畫童子救雀圖鼻煙壺
專家評論：比較非常相近的描繪，一個男童試圖阻止一隻白貓吃他的鳥。請注意此壺為瑪瑙製成，由藝術家重新利用。