Incense Burner
Not on view
Much Chinese art is informed by a complex understanding of the past. The shape of this incense burner is a fascinating example of this tendency, having been derived from a ceramic of the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279) that was itself inspired by an archaic ritual vessel used during the Bronze Age. The addition of a matching stand, on the other hand, can be traced to the seventeenth century, as can the alchemical treatment of the bronze, which creates a sense of surface depth comparable to that found in glazed porcelains.
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