Snuff Bottle
Unknown Artist
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
H. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm)
Classification
Snuff Bottles
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Edmund C. Converse, 1921
Accession Number
21.175.238a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite glass snuff bottle hails from China's Qing dynasty during the Qianlong period (6–95), a era of imperial artistry and refinement. Standing just 2 3/4 inches (7 cm) tall, theseutive vessels were designed to hold powdered tobacco snuff, a luxury imported from the West and popularized among the Chinese elite. Crafted by an unknown artist, it exemplifies the Asian Art Department's collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, through the bequest of Edmund C Converse in 192. Snuff bottles like this one were more than functional objects; they were status symbols and miniature canvases...