Page 93 - Chiense works of art sothebys march 14 2017 nyc

568

A PAIR OF MASSIVE BRONZE CENSERS AND
COVERS
MING DYNASTY

each of compressed globular form, the low rounded walls
rising from a stepped base and splayed circular foot, the
exterior with a relief cast band of archaistic masks on a leiwen
ground above a row of cicada lappets, anked by two handles
issued from horned beast masks, the domed openwork covers
with scrolling leaves interlaced with ruyi clouds and suspended
lingzhi, with at, broad rims rising to a separately cast ame-
form nial with openwork ruyi and further scrolled foliage,
raised on tapering openwork bases formed from sinuous
chilong terminating in a circular foot (8)
Width over handles 26 in., 66 cm

This pair of censers is remarkable for its massive size, which
endows the pieces with an architectural quality. The large
size would have allowed for an impressive display that was
heightened by fragrant fumes ascending through the openwork
cover when incense was burnt. Censers of this colossal size
were cast after archaic bronzes and often produced to be
placed at the entrances of ceremonial or ritual halls, such as
the two large censers in front of the Jingangbaozuota pagoda,
part of the Zhenjuesi temple complex in Beijing, and illustrated
in situ in New History of World Art. Ming dynasty, Tokyo, 1999,
pl. 244. While many of these censers are tripods, modeled
after archaic bronze ding, the present pair is reminiscent of
bronze gui and pan, which are seldom found of these large
proportions.

A much smaller gui lacking the cover and with a heavily
splayed foot, in the Musée Cernuschi, is illustrated in Bronzes
de la Chine Impériale des Song aux Qing, Paris, 2013, pl. 18,
and was included in the Xiqing gujian [Catalogues of antiques
in the Xiqing pavilion], which was compiled during the Qianlong
period, where it is described as a pan.

$ 60,000-80,000

IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 91