Lot Essay
This bottle displays Suzhou carving at its finest. The carver was inspired in his use of the natural markings in the stone to create a small masterpiece. The genius of the school is here represented by the brilliant use of the russet skin firstly, to highlight the cloud plume which delineates the scenes on either side of the bottle; secondly, to highlight the bat which appears from the plume, thus helping subtly to join the two scenes; and thirdly, to highlight the fan in the immortal's left hand, which helps to draw the eye up and across the figures
Many of the classic features of the mid-Qing Suzhou school are combined here. The two types of distinctive rockwork, one imitating the convoluted, ideally natural root foundations beloved of the scholar, the other showing a receding rock face consisting of a series of serrated lines, often densely grouped, are examples of these classic features. For a further discussion of this group see Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, The J & J Collection, pp. 62-68, nos. 21-23
Although unlikely, it is not inconceivable that the figure holding the fan might be depicting the Demon Queller, Zhonggui, and that the bat on the reverse is functioning as the symbol for both the Hehe Erxian and Zhonggui. For another example in white and russet jade, depicting Zhonggui holding his fan with a bat hovering above see Bob C. Stevens, The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, pp. 116-117, no. 387
For another Suzhou bottle depicting scholars in a rocky landscape see Robert W. L. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles, A Miniature Art from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, p. 95, no. 41; also illustrated by Robert Hall, Chinese Snuff Bottles, 1987, p. 106, no. 53 and front and back of dust jacket
For another bottle of similar type formerly in the Collection of Dr. Sidney A. Levine, Boston, see Parke-Bernet, New York, Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles, October 11, 1979, lot 205
Many of the classic features of the mid-Qing Suzhou school are combined here. The two types of distinctive rockwork, one imitating the convoluted, ideally natural root foundations beloved of the scholar, the other showing a receding rock face consisting of a series of serrated lines, often densely grouped, are examples of these classic features. For a further discussion of this group see Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, The J & J Collection, pp. 62-68, nos. 21-23
Although unlikely, it is not inconceivable that the figure holding the fan might be depicting the Demon Queller, Zhonggui, and that the bat on the reverse is functioning as the symbol for both the Hehe Erxian and Zhonggui. For another example in white and russet jade, depicting Zhonggui holding his fan with a bat hovering above see Bob C. Stevens, The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, pp. 116-117, no. 387
For another Suzhou bottle depicting scholars in a rocky landscape see Robert W. L. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles, A Miniature Art from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, p. 95, no. 41; also illustrated by Robert Hall, Chinese Snuff Bottles, 1987, p. 106, no. 53 and front and back of dust jacket
For another bottle of similar type formerly in the Collection of Dr. Sidney A. Levine, Boston, see Parke-Bernet, New York, Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles, October 11, 1979, lot 205