Page 133 - China's Renaissance in Bronze, The Robert H.CIague Collection of Later Chinese Bronzes 1100-1900

This censer owes its shape to Xuande bronzes, as suggested by the
mark on its base reading Da Ming Xuandenian zao. Since the wording of
the mark is inconsistent with Xuande-period usage, genuine Xuande marks
use zhi rather than zao as the final character, 15 it can be safely assumed that
this censer is only loosely associated with the tradition. Sleekly styled, ding-
shaped censers with small conical legs appear among the illustrations in
Xuande yiqi tupu, where they are termed rulu, that is, 'mammiform censers,'
16
a reference to the shape of the legs; those pictured, however, invariably
have inverted lips from which spring two small loop handles. In addition,
those illustrated, like those listed in Xuande dingyi pu, either are under-
rated or are embellished around their upper portions with broad bands of
gold with scalloped lower edges, the gold bands termed xiangyun, or
'auspicious cloud/ decoration; on the other hand, no vessels whatsoever are
pictured or listed with decorative Arabic inscriptions. Although its smart
shape signals its descent from Xuande bronzes, the Clague censer's thick
rim, strongly everted lip, lack of handles, and decorative Arabic inscriptions
indicate that it is a rather distant descendant.
With antecedents in Neolithic pottery, the ding cauldron ranks among
17
the oldest of ritual vessel types. However, the Clague censer and its Xuande
models owe their stylish form to guan-ware censers produced during the
Southern Song period 18 rather than to bronzes from high antiquity. Perhaps
19
inspired in turn by the curvaceous // vessels of the Western Zhou period, such
guan-ware censers pioneered the elegantly flattened bodies and short
conical legs that were to become the hallmark of the Xuande censer type.
20
The general shape, the everted lip, and the large Arabic inscriptions
set in elongated ogival panels argue for a date in the mid- to late Qing
period for the Clague censer; in particular, the similarity of its shape to that
of nineteenth-century cloisonne enamel censers, which typically lack handles
21
and which sometimes have a wide lip encircling the mouth, suggests that it
was made during the last century of Qing rule. The main reason for attribut-
ing the censer to the nineteenth century is its reliance solely upon cold-
working techniques in creating the decoration (as indicated by irregularities
in the borders and by chatter marks on the sides of the Arabic letters).
Entirely cold worked, the Arabic inscriptions were created by exca-
vating the backgrounds within the decorative panels after the censer had
been cast; the reserved letters thus stand in relief in relation to the sunken
ground but are actually the same height as the vessel walls. Partially con-
cealed by the ring-punch texturing, deep outlines with beveled outer edges
surround each letter, enhancing the relief appearance. First employed in

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