Tripod incense burner with Buddhist auspicious symbols
Unknown Artist
late 18th–early 19th century
Medium
Porcelain painted in overglaze polychrome enamels (Jingdezhen ware), wooden cover with jade knob
Dimensions
H. with cover: 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Jiaqing mark and period (1796–1820)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac D. Fletcher Collection, Bequest of Isaac D. Fletcher, 1917
Accession Number
17.120.196a, b
Art Historical Context
This elegant tripod incense burner, crafted in Jingdezhen porcelain during the Jiaqing period (1796–1820) of China's Qing dynasty, exemplifies the era's masterful ceramic artistry. Standing 12½ inches tall with its wooden cover topped by a carved jade knob, the burner features a vibrant overglaze polychrome enamel decoration adorned with Buddhist auspicious symbols—motifs like lotus flowers, endless knots, and mythical creatures that promised prosperity, purity, and protection. Produced at Jingdezhen, the imperial porcelain capital, such wares were prized for their technical precision and luxu...