A GLASS OVERYLAY SNUFF BOTTLE, QING1780-1860. Finely carved and incised through the emerald green, translucent overlay to the opaque white body to depict Nantimitolo with a fierce, four clawed dragon, both chasing the flaming pearl.Provenance: Hungarian private collection.Condition: Perfect condition with minor wear and some open air bubbles.Stopper: Green glass stopper with a miniature coral bead on top and old horn spoon.Weight: 40.8 grams.Dimensions: Height including stopper 91 mm. Diameter neck 15 mm and mouth 5 mm.The human figure is shown in chase of the flaming pearl with a fierce dragon amid swirling clouds. This identifies him as Nantimitolo, known in Chinese as the 'Dragon Subduing Luohan'. A Luohan is a perfected being, a disciple of Buddha who has attained enlightenment, but chooses to remain engaged in the world, postponing nirvana, in order to aid all sentient beings. The Luohan achieves enlightenment through instruction rather than through insight and meditation, and as a result, ranks just below the bodhisattva.In this figure of Nantimitolo, the expressive face with protruding chin, large eyes and prominent nose, unlike Chinese physiognomy, points to his foreign origins. The facial expression on the present figure has parallels in iron figures dating from the Song dynasty such as in the guardian from Jinci Temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi illustrated in A. Paludan, Chinese Sculpture: A Great Tradition, Chicago, 2006, p. 388, fig. 258.Rouleau shape with raised round foot carved of green overlay. The sprawling neck with a key-fret border. 清套料鼻烟壺1780-1860。祖母綠色半透明套料精細浮雕降龍羅漢慶友尊者及四爪龍與火珠,底料不透明白色壺身。來源:匈牙利私人收藏品相:完美,輕微磨損,一些小氣泡瓶蓋:綠玻璃,微型珊瑚頂珠,老角杓重量:40.8 克尺寸:含蓋總高91 毫米;頸部直徑15 毫米;嘴 5 毫米