Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Pamela R. Lessing Friedman Collection
鼻烟壶：佛瑞德曼藏品

During the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), the snuff bottle first appeared in China after Portuguese traders and missionaries introduced medicinal tobacco. Made to fit hands, the crafting of the snuff bottle required meticulous attention to function and miniaturized decoration to reflect the owner’s taste and status. Over the past three centuries, the Chinese snuff bottle has endured an evolution from personal object to art collector treasure, and is now often regarded as a unique objet d’art. This exhibition presented over 130 snuff bottles from the Pamela R. Lessing Friedman Collection, featuring bottles in a wide range of materials, including glass, porcelain, inkstone, jadeite, ivory, amber, gourd, coral, lacquer, copper, silver, and bronze, as well as excellent examples of inside-painting, carving, and glass overlay. The exhibition also explored the history of using snuff and snuff bottle production in China.