Tripod vessel with cover

Annular handles suspended from protruding dragon heads. The upper end of each foot is held in the jaws of a feline head. All carved from one piece of white nephrite. Wooden stand.

Historical period(s)
Qing dynasty, Qianlong reign, 1736-1796
Medium
Jade (nephrite), wooden stand
Dimensions
H x W: 25 x 28.3 cm (9 13/16 x 11 1/8 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1944.18a-c
On View Location
Freer Gallery 13: Looking Out, Looking In: Art in Late Imperial China
Classification(s)
Jade, Vessel
Type

Incense burner

Keywords
China, dragon, incense, lion, Qianlong reign (1736 - 1796), Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911)
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Annular handles suspended from protruding dragon heads. The upper end of each foot is held in the jaws of a feline head. All carved from one piece of white nephrite. Wooden stand.

Label

Interest in ancient history was strong in the eighteenth century in China, and many contemporary vessels were made with an archaistic flavor. The shape of this censer harks back to ancient Bronze Age vessels, specifically the ding tripod. The lionlike animal on the lid and the dragon on each handle are protective beasts. A censer like this might have belonged to the ritual paraphernalia placed in front of a grand ancestor portrait or important religious painting. Jade urns were also appreciated as art objects and the superb quality of this object suggests that it may have been a decorative item for a high level recepient, perhaps a member of the court.

Published References
  • Freer Gallery of Art. Arts of Asia at the Time of American Independence: Bicentennial Exhibition, Freer Gallery of Art. Exh. cat. Washington, 1975-1976. p. 12.
  • Masterpieces of Chinese and Japanese Art: Freer Gallery of Art handbook. Washington, 1976. p. 34.
  • Stanley Charles Nott. A Catalogue of Rare Chinese Jade Carvings. St. Augustine. p. 140.
  • Yamanaka and Co. Collection of Chinese and Other Far Eastern Art. New York and Chicago. p. 168.
  • Edwards Park. Treasures from the Smithsonian Institution., 1st ed. Washington and New York. p. 341.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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