Incense burner from the set of five altar pieces with plum-blossom decoration in cloisonne enamels, Qing dynasty, Kangxi reign (1662-1722)

Incense burner from the set of five altar pieces with plum-blossom decoration in cloisonne enamels, Qing dynasty, Kangxi reign (1662-1722)

• Image Number: C1E000240N000000000PAG
• Dynasty: Qing dynasty
• Category: Enamel wares
• Function: Incense set
• Material: Minerals/Metals/Copper
• Description:
  It is made of cast copper and imitated bronze Gui shaped ware. It is a copper stove with short neck, drooping abdomen and short and wide legs. Its shoulders are covered with gold plated dragon head and double rings. The circle sole is gold-plated, with regular script “made in Kangxi” double line intaglio. The mouth edge is also gold-plated and covered with a copper liner. The surface is made of sky blue enamel, and the irregular ice crack lines and the blue, white, red and yellow plum blossom patterns are drawn with filigree fine lines. The outer wall of the ring foot has the same four color cloud patterns as the plum blossom. The plum blossom has two, three and five different flower types, showing different shapes from initial bloom to full bloom or on the front or side. It is symmetrically interspersed in the reticulated ice crack lines, and the regularity implies flexible changes. Ice plum patterns, which are composed of irregular geometric ice cracks and plum blossoms, are commonly used in palace artifacts during the Sheng Qingkang, Yong, and Qian dynasties, such as paper, fabrics, lacquerware, and porcelain.