Incense burner

Object Details

• Description

  Incense burner; round with bulging sides, contracted neck and flaring rim; low foot, trimmed above the rim on the outside.

  Paste: porcelain, with minute grayish impurities.

  Glaze: white with very slight bluish tinge; numerous pittings in the interior and on base.

  Decoration: in underglaze blue, continuous landscape around exterior, comprising of rocks, trees, water, figures, boats, and pavilions, executed primarily in outline and wash, the water in parallel horizontal lines in typical K'ang-hsi manner; around the neck, a band of motifs comprising five of the Eight Precious Things, each alternating with a cloud scroll.

• Inscriptions

  Mark: double circle in underglaze blue on the base.

• Provenance

  To 1975

  A New York State estate, to 1975 [1]

  From 1975 to 1978

  Private collector, Washington, DC, purchased at the sale of a New York State estate, Adam A. Weschler & Son, auctioneers, Washington, DC, in 1975 [2]

  From 1978

  Freer Gallery of Art, given by a private collector in 1978

  Notes:

  [1] According to the donor, this object was acquired at the 1975 sale of the contents from a New York State house, which consisted mostly of American and European furniture and furnishings (see Curatorial Note 2, H.C. Lovell, 1978, in the object record).

  [2] See Curatorial Note 2, H.C. Lovell, 1978, in the object record.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  The Peacock Room in Blue and White (May 18, 2019 to June 1, 2022)

  Chinamania (2016) (July 9, 2016 to June 4, 2017)

  Chinamania (2010) (August 7, 2010 to August 7, 2011)

  The Peacock Room (May 2, 1923 to February 21, 2011)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Anonymous

• Origin

  Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China

• Credit Line

  Anonymous gift

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1690s, 1660s

• Name

  Lovell, Hin-cheung

• Place

  China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen

• Topic

  Landscapes, Porcelain, Art, Chinese Art, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), Incense, Cloud, Ceramics, Jingdezhen ware

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)