On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Tripod incense burner
By the twelfth century, the fascination with ancient bronzes stimulated new designs for imperial Song ceramics, such as this censer. Its tripod shape and cylindrical body evoke bronze wine containers of the third century BCE. Instead of being a faithful copy of ancient bronzes, this censer demonstrates the iconic beauty of Ru ware, one of the rarest types of Chinese ceramics. Its bluish-gray glaze with fine crackles is a marvel of naturalism meant to represent the color of the sky after rain.
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