Ceremonial Vessel
1450-1500 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This incense burner is decorated with cloisonné enamel, a technique transmitted to China from Europe. It takes its name from the French word 'cloison', which refers to the barriers of very thin wire that separate one enamel colour from another.
Here the wires were fixed to the metal body, the glass-like enamels were applied and the piece was fired in a kiln. Cloisonné was popular in China from the 15th century. Pieces from the Jingtai reign period (1450-1456) were considered the best.
Here the wires were fixed to the metal body, the glass-like enamels were applied and the piece was fired in a kiln. Cloisonné was popular in China from the 15th century. Pieces from the Jingtai reign period (1450-1456) were considered the best.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Cloisonné enamel, bronze, copper |
| Brief description | Ceremonial vessel of gui type, cloisonné enamel, bronze, copper, China, Ming dynasty, second half 15th century |
| Physical description | Ceremonial vessel of gui type made of cloisonné enamel on bronze and copper, decorated with stylised lotus blossoms against a turquoise-blue ground; two angular handles extend from gilded dragon heads at the upper section. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Object history | Purchased from the Bond Collection, accessioned in 1875. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Historical context | Probably used as an incense burner. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This incense burner is decorated with cloisonné enamel, a technique transmitted to China from Europe. It takes its name from the French word 'cloison', which refers to the barriers of very thin wire that separate one enamel colour from another. Here the wires were fixed to the metal body, the glass-like enamels were applied and the piece was fired in a kiln. Cloisonné was popular in China from the 15th century. Pieces from the Jingtai reign period (1450-1456) were considered the best. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 507-1875 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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