Minneapolis Institute of Art

Snuff bottle with scene from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio

Ye ZhongsanLinkedCulture matchlcp-721545cc0762

Date: 1918
Medium: Crystal, coral
Department: Asian Art
Institution: Minneapolis Institute of Art
Object ID: 14397

From the Minneapolis Institute of Art record

This snuff bottle illustrates a scene inspired by Huang Jiulang, a story from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio by Pu Songling. During the Qing dynasty, horses and donkeys were common vehicles for daily travel and were used by women as well as men, as reflected in this ordinary roadside setting. In the story, however, the animal becomes the mount of a fox spirit, transforming a familiar means of transport into a vehicle of the supernatural. The narrative centers on a same-sex relationship between a scholar and the spirit, using their bond to explore desire, power, and moral compromise. Here, the animal signifies both physical mobility and passage between human and spirit worlds. China, Asia

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