The surfaces of porcelain, jade, precious metals, bamboo, lacquer, or painted interiors that beautified the bottles could only be produced by artists skilled in traditional Chinese carving, ceramics, sculpture, lapidary, and calligraphy. The modern-day craze for collecting Chinese snuff bottles is not only a reflection of their beauty and technical virtuosity, but also an attribution to their unique power to conjure images of the 17th century Chinese setting. In viewing these antiquities, one can imagine the men who owned them and the robe pockets in which they were carried. In curating this collection, the Chang Foundation, a private museum in Taipei, has selected for display only the finest specimens of work, including bottles made especially for the emperors of China in the 18th and 19th centuries. We hope that international patrons of the extensive exhibit will discover the elegance of this traditional art.
Admission is free.