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Lot Essay
This exceptional bottle undoubtedly ranks among the finest Imperial painted enamel bottles, a group in which masterpieces are standard. The subject matter clearly shows the influence of eighteenth-century French painters such as Watteau and Boucher, which was transmitted by contemporaneous French enamellers to Jesuit artists at the Chinese Court, who in turn passed it on to the craftsman employed at the Imperial workshops at Beijing. French and Swiss painted-enamel panels and other objects were sent to the Court at Beijing throughout the first half of the Qing dynasty to inspire and instruct the Court enamellers and ingratiate the Jesuits with the Emperor.
It is perhaps of little surprise that this extraordinary bottle caught the eye of Avery Brundage, whose collection now forms the core of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. When Moss began to work at his father's gallery in the early-1960s, Brundage was always very kind to him on his frequent visits, encouraging him and taking the time to teach him about Chinese art. When he found out that Moss had begun to form a serious collection of Chinese snuff bottles of his own, he generously allowed Moss to purchase it at the price previously paid to his father.
It is perhaps of little surprise that this extraordinary bottle caught the eye of Avery Brundage, whose collection now forms the core of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. When Moss began to work at his father's gallery in the early-1960s, Brundage was always very kind to him on his frequent visits, encouraging him and taking the time to teach him about Chinese art. When he found out that Moss had begun to form a serious collection of Chinese snuff bottles of his own, he generously allowed Moss to purchase it at the price previously paid to his father.