Covered Incense Burner
Unknown Artist
Medium
Cloisonné enamel on copper
Dimensions
H. 10 1/2 in. (26.7 cm); W. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm)
Classification
Cloisonné
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi period (1662–1722)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Edward G. Kennedy, 1929
Accession Number
29.110.50a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant covered incense burner, crafted in cloisonné enamel on copper China's Qing dynasty Kangxi period (16621722), exemplifies the court's fascination with luxurious decorative arts. Standing about 10½ inches tall and 8¼ inches wide, it was designed for burning incense in temples, palaces, or scholarly homes, where aromatic smoke symbolized purity and spiritual harmony. Gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1929 by Edward G Kennedy, it now graces the Asian Art department, showcasing the era's technical mastery and opulent tastes. Cloisonné, the burner's medium, involves soldering...