Untitled

Unknown

early 17th century · Porcelain painted in underglaze blue (Jingdezhen ware) · Asian Art

This robust incense burner demonstrates high-end porcelain sculpture and epitomizes the antiquarian interest of the late Ming dynasty (1368-1644) for creatively reviving the form and styles of ancient Chinese bronzes. Based on a Han dynasty (206 BC to AD 220) prototype, this Ming dynasty example was identified as a luduan, an auspicious unicorn able to master foreign languages that would only appear when a virtuous ruler came to the throne. This representation of the creature is not simply a copy of an ancient prototype; rather its playfully animated form and décor mark it as a brilliant antiquarian creation. This design also played as a model for contemporary and later artworks in other mediums, such as bronze and cloisonné.

Artist

Unknown

Date

early 17th century

Medium

Porcelain painted in underglaze blue (Jingdezhen ware)

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Purchase, Bequests of William Rhinelander Stewart and Matilda E. Frelinghuysen, Gift of R. Thornton Wilson, in memory of Florence Ellsworth Wilson, Purchase by subscription, and Gift of Edgar Worch, by exchange, 2018