An inside painted glass snuff bottleZhou Leyuan, circa 1886-1887
Painted to one side with a windswept fisherman in a grass cape, punting an open skiff in a tree-strewn, mountainous river landscape, the reverse with a jar of prunus blossom beside smaller vessels and ornamental pierced rockwork, inscribed 仿南田老人筆 三石 Fǎng nántián lǎorén bǐ sānshí (Following the spirit of Nantian) and signed 周樂元 Zhōulèyuán, with one seal of the artist, amethyst and gilt metal mounted stopper, box.
The bottle 6cm (2.3/8in) long. (3).注脚Provenance:
An English Private Collection
Wheatley Antiques, London
Hugh Moss Ltd.

Zhou Leyuan is known to have painted inside snuff bottles between 1882 and 1893. He is regarded as the founder of the Beijing School of artists in this genre, which flourished between 1882 and the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1912.

In the current example, the artist cites Yun shouping - hao Nantian (1633-1690) as his inspiration. For two Zhou Leyuan bottles of similar composition see 'Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch', by Robert W.L Kleiner, nos. 264 and 265, pp.198-199.