A BRONZE 'LUDUAN' INCENSE BURNER AND COVER 17TH CENTURY |

cast in the form of a luduan depicted standing on a snake-like mythical creature, the serpentine figure forming the base of the vessel and rendered gripped by the beast's claws, the chest of the hollow body cast with a long strip of scaling decorated with an elaborate collar around its shoulders, suspending a bell and two ornamental tassels, the sides with flaming wisps and stylised ruyi heads flanking an elaborate tail with tufts of hair, the cover of the vessel rendered in the form of a single-horned head accentuated with ruyi heads, its mouth portrayed wide open and revealing its fangs to enable egress

Inspired by gilt-bronze incense burners from the Xuande period, the present piece is striking for its detailed rendering of the mythical beast, cast with a ferocious expression, a finely combed mane and powerful horned claws. For possible Xuande prototypes, see two sold in these rooms, 8th April 2014, lot 233, from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection, and another 8th October 2014, lot 3759. This form of mythical beast became a popular model from the Xuande period onwards, and similar incense burners were relatively common from the late Ming period onwards. A scholar's object in a similar form of a mythical beast is included in Shijuzhai zhencang jian pu [Shijuzhai collection of letter paper], first published in 1645, illustrated by Ip Yee and Laurence Tam, Chinese Bamboo Carving, part 1, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1978, p. 179, fig. 15.

Incense burners of this type were modelled to allow the smoke of the burning incense to emerge from the beast's mouth, giving 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).