Snuff Bottle
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Jadeite
Dimensions
H. 2 1/16 in. (5.2 cm)
Classification
Snuff Bottles
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913
Accession Number
14.40.435
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite jadeite snuff bottle crafted in 19th-century China during the Qing dynasty (164–1911), exemplifies refined artistry of imperial-era luxury goods. Snuff bottles like this one were portable containers for powdered tobacco, a fashionable indulgence among the Qing elite, including emperors and scholars. Carved from vibrant jadeite—a prized green variety of jade revered in Chinese culture for its luminous translucency and associations with purity and prosperity—the bottle stands just over 2 inches tall, perfectly sized for slipping into a sleeve or pocket. The unknown artist's maste...