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Lot Essay
Ye Zhongsan began painting horses and donkeys in 1895. While he painted his chosen theme prolifically, he took pains to vary the compositions. For other examples of his early work, see H. Moss, Snuff Bottles of China, nos. 383 and 384; and Moss, Graham, Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle. The J & J Collection, Vol. 2, no. 521, for a bottle painted with the Eight Horses of Mu Wang.
This seal of the artist, Huayin, appears only on his works from the early years. After 1900 he no longer used it, reverting to the simple yin ('seal') which continued in use by the family into the mid-twentieth century.
Horses symbolize men of talent because the character jun ('steed') is a homonym for the word meaning 'a talented man.' The motif conveys the wish, 'May you be one of the talented people.'
The subject of a boy riding a buffalo is also found in overlay glass, chalcedony and porcelain. The subject can be traced back to the Southern Song dynasty, and was particularly popular with the Ye family. This particular image is based on one of two versions of the subject by Zhou Leyuan. Between 1895 and 1900, Ye produced some of his greatest works, mostly in the style of Zhou Leyuan.
See other variations on this subject by Ye Zhongsand illustrated by Robert Hall, Chinese Snuff Bottles, no. 81, dated 1916; Robert Hall, Chinese Snuff Bottles IV, no. 59; H. Moss, "The Apricot Grove Studio", JICSBS, Autumn 1982, p. 15, figs. 18, 22a, 23a and 44a; and Zhongguo Biyanhu Zhenshang (Gems of Chinese Snuff Bottles), no. 351. This was clearly a group of closely related subject favored by Ye.
This seal of the artist, Huayin, appears only on his works from the early years. After 1900 he no longer used it, reverting to the simple yin ('seal') which continued in use by the family into the mid-twentieth century.
Horses symbolize men of talent because the character jun ('steed') is a homonym for the word meaning 'a talented man.' The motif conveys the wish, 'May you be one of the talented people.'
The subject of a boy riding a buffalo is also found in overlay glass, chalcedony and porcelain. The subject can be traced back to the Southern Song dynasty, and was particularly popular with the Ye family. This particular image is based on one of two versions of the subject by Zhou Leyuan. Between 1895 and 1900, Ye produced some of his greatest works, mostly in the style of Zhou Leyuan.
See other variations on this subject by Ye Zhongsand illustrated by Robert Hall, Chinese Snuff Bottles, no. 81, dated 1916; Robert Hall, Chinese Snuff Bottles IV, no. 59; H. Moss, "The Apricot Grove Studio", JICSBS, Autumn 1982, p. 15, figs. 18, 22a, 23a and 44a; and Zhongguo Biyanhu Zhenshang (Gems of Chinese Snuff Bottles), no. 351. This was clearly a group of closely related subject favored by Ye.