Snuff bottles

It takes skills to paint on paper, but painting the inside of a bottle is so much more demanding. Snuff bottles range in size from a pea grain to something slightly smaller than a glass. As a result, snuff bottle painting is considered one of Chinese wonders. Inside painting of snuff bottles is an art in and of itself. Painters have to follow the inclinations as they paint brilliantly or write splendidly within the small spaces. By employing the seemingly miraculous backhand painting technique, they compact the universe into a small space. The insides of the bottles are decorated with human characters, animals, flowers and/or calligraphy. This painting art displays unimaginable charm.