A LARGE PART-GILT BRONZE CENSER IN SHAPE OF A LUDUAN

Estimated Value:

6.000 € - 10.000 €

Result:

22.015 € incl. Premium and VAT

Description:

China, Ming dynasty
H. 43,8 cm
The mythical beast is sturdily cast standing foursquare clutching a snake which zigzags across its feet. Its detachable single horned head is hinged from the front and is cast with with bulging eyes and its teeth bared. Its body is decorated with swirling scrolls highlighted in gilt and the details of its mane are finely incised.
Old Swedish diplomatic collection, acquired by the previous owner from Nils Nessim (1916-1974), collection number 1.5201 (old label on the underside), sold from this collection at Stockholm Auktionsverket, 2.12.2005, lot 1836 and bought by the present owner
Incense burners of this type were modelled to allow the smoke of the burning incense to emerge from the beast’s mouth, giv ing the impression of a living creature breathing smoke. As Chuimei Ho and Bennet Bronson expound in their discussion of a pair of Qianlong cloisonné enamel examples from the Palace Museum, Beijing, included in the exhibition Splendors of China’s Forbidden City. The Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong, The Field Museum, Chicago, 2004, these burners were traditionally valued at the Imperial Court, as with their open mouths and smoke billowing forth, they were a reminder to the Emperor that he should always be receptive to honest advice (see p. 37). This became a popular model from the Xuande period onwards, often with the head attached to the body by a hinge, and are relatively common from the late Ming period onwards. For two versions, see Paul Moss and Gerard Hawthorn, The Second Bronze Age. Later Chinese Metalwork, Sydney L. Moss Ltd, London, 1991, cat. nos. 18 and 19. A mythical beast of similar form, depicted with a serpentine dragon emerging from water, is shown in a woodblock print in Shijuzhai zhencang jianpu, first published in 1645, illustrated by Ip Yee and Laurence Tam, Chinese Bam boo Carving, Part I, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1978, p.174, fig.15. For a pair of cloisonné enamel examples from the Qianlong era, still in Beijing, see Chuimei Ho and Bennet Bronson, Splendors of China’s Forbidden City. The Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong, London and New York, 2004, pl. 37, where the authors note that 'mythical beast' incense burners in similar forms were traditionally valued at the imperial court, as with their open mouths, and smoke billowing forth, they were a re minder to the emperor that he should always be receptive to honest advice, and a prompt to those addressing the emperor to speak truthfully. For smaller gilt-bronze versions, see Paul Moss and Gerard Hawthorn, The Second Bronze Age. Later Chinese Metalwork, Sydney L. Moss Ltd, London, 1991, cat. nos. 18 and 19, and for a gilt-splashed example sold at Christie’s Hong Kong see, 1st June 2011, lot 3948 - Minor traces and wear due to age

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