The museum has seven various types of Chinese snuff bottles in the collection.
Chinese Snuff BottleThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
Agate was a particularly favoured material for making the bottles, as it was more breakage-resistant in the cold climate of northern China.
Many of the snuff bottles which were made from minerals do not have any ornamentation, and the natural beauty of the stone is highlighted instead.
The bottle made from agate in the museum collection also has no ornamentation.
Chinese Snuff BottleThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
There is a white jade snuff bottle with a carved bird and flower motif in the museum collection.
It is one of the most popular scenes in Chinese painting.
A kingfisher with a lotus has most likely been portrayed.
In the Chinese language, the kingfisher is denoted with the same Chinese character as green jade (翡 , fěi) and represents female beauty, while the lotus symbolizes purity and honesty.
Chinese Snuff BottleThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
There are three Peking glass snuff bottles in the museum collection.
Chinese Snuff BottleThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
White intertwined dragons on a blue background are on one of them, and a dragon has also been carved on the bottle’s coral stopper.
Chinese Snuff BottleThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
The snuff bottle with a carving of green plum blossoms and buds on a white background portrays one of the most popular motifs in Chinese art and poetry.
Plum blossoms are a sign of the end of winter and the beginning of spring. This symbolizes perseverance and hope, as well as beauty, purity and the temporality of life.
The five petals represent the number 5 which is associated with various Chinese philosophical concepts – five elements which are used in Chinese medicine, feng shui, Oriental martial arts and even music.
Chinese Snuff BottleThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
A carp and a lotus flower can be seen on the third Peking glass bottle in the museum collection.
Chinese Snuff BottleThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
In the Chinese language, the word fish (鱼, yú) is pronounced in a similar way to abundance (裕, yù), which is why the image of the fish symbolizes well-being, abundance and wealth.
Chinese Snuff BottleThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
Fish are often shown together with a lotus, as the word lotus (花, liánhuā) is connected with continuation in Chinese, which is why the portrayal of a fish and a lotus together means wealth from year to year.
The most popular fish in Chinese culture is specifically the carp or koi fish. It is a symbol of strength, success, wealth, respect and endurance. The scales and whiskers of the carp remind us of a dragon, and as a consequence, it often also symbolizes a dragon, with the belief that it can transform into a dragon.
Chinese Snuff BottleThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
Like the jade and agate snuff bottles, stylized ring-shaped handles with zoomorphic masks can be seen at the sides, making reference to ancient Chinese bronze vessels.
Chinese Snuff BottleThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
There are two glass inside painted snuff bottles in the museum collection. A scene from everyday life can be seen in one of them.
Chinese Snuff BottleThe Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
The other is associated with a poem by well-known Tang Dynasty (618–907) poet Meng Haoran (孟浩然 , 689/691–740) “Visiting a Friend’s Farmhouse” (過故人莊).
Exhibition Curator: Kristīne Milere, LNMA / Art Museum RIGA BOURSE
Photos: Kristiāna Zelča
