Snuff Bottle with Cranes under a Pine Tree
Unknown Artist
Medium
Cloisonné enamel
Dimensions
H. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm); W. 2 5/16 in. (5.9 cm); D. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm)
Classification
Snuff Bottles
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong mark and period (1736–95)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Joan A. Schorsch, 2004
Accession Number
2004.558a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite snuff bottle, titled *Snuff Bottle with Cr under a Pine Tree*, the refined artistry of China's Qing dynasty during the Qianlong period (1736–95). Crafted in cloisonné enamel—a technique where thin metal wires outline intricate designs on a metal body, which are then filled with vibrant glass enamels and fired multiple times for a glassy sheen—this small vessel (just 2¾ inches tall) was likely produced in imperial workshops. The Qianlong mark on the base signifies its association with Emperor Qianlong's reign, a golden age of artistic innovation and patronage. The bottle's decor...