Bidspirit auction | CHINESE SNUFF BOTTLE WITH UNDERGLAZE

CHINESE SNUFF BOTTLE WITH UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND UNDERGLAZE COPPER RED, DEPICTING THE MONKEY KING AS OP - Qing Dynasty, Ca. AD 1644 - 1912. > A slender porcelain snuff bottle of cylindrical form with a short neck, decorated in a combination of underglaze cobalt blue and copper-red on a white ground. The exterior features a lively depiction of the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) rendered in multiple stylized manners of Chinese opera. The figure is shown in a dynamic pose, balancing lightly while carrying his staff across the shoulders, dressed in theatrical costume with flowing elements and exaggerated features characteristic of stage performance. The face and contours are outlined in cobalt blue, while areas of copper-red enliven the costume. Subjects drawn from Journey to the West and their reinterpretation through opera were immensely popular in Qing visual culture, reflecting the close relationship between literature, theatre, and decorative arts. > Provenance: Private UK Collection. > > Size: 80mm x 30mm; Weight: 55g > This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter. >