Page 205 - Chinese Works of Art Chritie's Mar. 22-23 2018

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
915
A BRONZE CENSER AND COVER,
BOSHANLU
WESTERN HAN DYNASTY, 1ST CENTURY BC
The censer has a hemispherical bowl raised on a
stem foot, and a conical cover cast in openwork
as a cloud-enshrouded hill surmounted by a bird
standing with wings and tail spread. The surface
has a mottled patina of grey and milky-green color.
Together with a shallow circular dish with an
inscription on the rim.
11¿ in. (28.3 cm.) high, Japanese wood box
(2)
$10,000-15,000

PROVENANCE
Acquired in Tokyo, December 1983.
Christie’s New York, The Sze Yuan Tang Archaic
Bronzes from the Anthony Hardy Collection, 16
September 2010, lot 890.
EXHIBITED
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Ancient
Chinese and Ordos Bronzes, 1990.
Singapore, Asian Civilisations Museum, The
Glorious Traditions of Chinese Bronzes, 2000.
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Metal,
Wood, Water, Fire and Earth, Hong Kong, 2002-
2006.
LITERATURE
J. Rawson and E. Bunker, Ancient Chinese and
Ordos Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1990, no. 45.
Li Xueqin, The Glorious Traditions of Chinese
Bronzes, Singapore, 2000, no. 91.
Hill censers of this type appeared during the Han
period, perhaps refecting the interest during
the period in mystical mountains as the abode
of the spirits. Several hill censers of diferent
types excavated in diferent provinces were
included in the exhibition, Treasures from the Han,
Empress Place Museum, Singapore, 1990-1991;
a pottery example raised on a stem within a dish,
unearthed in 1953, Luoyang, Henan province, and
a bronze example supported by a bird standing
on a tortoise set within a dish, unearthed in
1966, Changan county, Shaanxi province, both
illustrated on p. 65; and the exquisite gold-
decorated bronze censer of Prince Liu Sheng,
Zhongshan, Mancheng county, Hebei province,
illustrated on p. 112.
西漢 銅博山爐

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