Incense burner (from set)

second half 18th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 221

Introduced from Europe, the technique of painted enamel was also commonly used by Chinese makers to decorate local wares, such as this incense set. Three-piece sets like this one appeared in China no later than the thirteenth century and included censers to burn small pieces of incense over burning charcoal. The box would have contained incense woods or balls, and the bottle would have held a pair of chopsticks and a spatula for handling the incense materials. (Set includes (81.1.638a–c, .642, .637a, b)

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

清乾隆銅胎畫琺瑯香具鑪瓶
Title: Incense burner (from set)
Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)
Date: second half 18th century
Culture: China
Medium: Painted enamel on copper alloy
Dimensions: H. 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm); W. 6 in. (15.2 cm)
Classification: Enamels
Credit Line: Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881
Object Number: 81.1.638a–c
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

In the same gallery

In the same medium

From the same time and place

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Four-lobed box (from incense set), Painted enamel on copper alloy, China — Four-lobed box (from incense set)
China
second half 18th century

Tool bottle (from incense set), Painted enamel on copper alloy, China — Tool bottle (from incense set)
China
second half 18th century

Seated Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Infinite Compassion, Gilt copper alloy, Tibet or Mongolia — Seated Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Infinite Compassion
Tibet or Mongolia
17th century

Amitabha, the Buddha of the Western Pure Land (Sukhavati), Distemper with gold on cloth, Central Tibet — Amitabha, the Buddha of the Western Pure Land (Sukhavati)
Central Tibet
ca. 1700

Incense Burner, Copper alloy, splash gilding, China — Incense Burner
China
18th century

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.