SIGNED MA SHAOXUAN, DATED TO THE THIRD MONTH OF THE WUXU YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1898

The calligraphy on the reverse side of this bottle is transcribed from the famous Tang stele by Ouyang Xun called Jiu Cheng Gong li quan ming (The Sweet Spring of Jiucheng Palace). Ouyang Xun (AD 557-641) was one of the four masters of the early Tang. The paintings on the other side include burnt and torn examples of the Jin Hui Dui and include a fan-shaped painting by Yun Shouping, calligraphy from the book entitled Zuo Zhong Tang (a famous general), a torn book entitled Si Shu (essential reading for scholars), and an envelope inscribed You Shanghai Ji (posted from Shanghai).

For other Ma bottles painted with this subject see Ma Zengshan, Inside-Painted Snuff Bottle Artist Ma Shaoxuan (1867-1939), Maryland, 1997, p. 33, fig. 8; (from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch); p. 45, fig 22 (The Collection of Christopher C.H. Sin); and p. 80, fig. 80 (also the Collection of Mary and George Bloch), the author notes on p. 80: "Ma was especially fond of the calligraphic style of Ouyang Xun. More than once he copied on one side of a bottle the first few sentences of Ouyang's 'An Account of the Sweet Spring in the Palace of Nine Accomplishments' which produced extremely satisfactory results. In addition, Ma liked to paint 'Pictures of Antiquities' (Bogu tu) and 'Pictures of Longevity' (Baisui tu). The former illustrates a collection of antique vessels, tiles, calligraphic specimens, paintings, books, and correspondence. The latter depicts a collage of damaged objects. The fragmentary (sui) state of these numerous (bai) burnt, broken, rotten, or torn objects calls to mind a homonym meaning 'year.' Thus, the image of a number of broken (Baisui) objects actually constitutes a rebus having the auspicious meaning of wishing someone might enjoy a long life. Both types of composition incorporate characters which are written out in a variety of scripts, including the writing style used for inscriptions on ancient bronzes, big seal, running and regular. In imitating these scripts one must first acquire a sound training in calligraphy. Such renditions, therefore, should also be regarded as another form of Ma's calligraphic works."