BOTTLE JINGDEZHEN KILNS, DECORATION GUANGZHOU, 1780-1850

The decorative style of this bottle was likely influenced by Jesuit missionaries who often spent time in Guangzhou while awaiting permission from the government to travel north. It is pointed out by Moss, Graham, Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles, The Mary and George Bloch Collection, Vol. 6, Part 1, Hong Kong, 2008, p. 296, that an underlying theme of many bottles, be they from Beijing or Guangzhou, is the presence of "a framing curtain draped across the top and down one side of the design. In many cases, these can be seen as interior curtains, perhaps draping a window, or at least sensibly inside the building."

The current bottle is rare in that it exhibits an interior draped curtain, but features Chinese figures. The color palette is similar to that found on export porcelains of the period.