A yellow jade archaistic incense burner and cover, Qing dynasty, 18th century | 清十八世紀 黃玉饕餮紋龍耳三足蓋爐

The present piece embodies the exceptional creativity of Qing craftsmen in its combination of contemporary and archaic motifs. Continuing the Song tradition of reinterpreting large archaic ritual bronzes into relatively small jade vessels, this incense burner is carved in relief with archaic motifs and set with a pair of 'dragon' handles suspending angular scrolls. In response to the 'vulgarisation' of Chinese jade carving in the 18th century, characterised by decorative objects with ornate high-relief designs, jade carvers were instructed to create 'archaistic' designs by studying archaic bronze vessels in the Palace collection or in illustrated woodblock prints and adapting them to the medium of jade. This archaistic trend is well encapsulated in the designs carved on the present incense burner.

此蓋爐整器做工規整，打磨精良，集創新與仿古於一身。此類仿古紋飾玉雕承宋代傳統，以玉雕仿古青銅禮器而雕刻。

造辦處玉匠宮時常參宮中舊藏青銅禮器或者《宣和博古圖》等木版摹圖，以玉仿製古器，作宮廷清玩陳設。此爐慕仿上古青銅彝之器形及紋飾，為清宮仿古玉器之典型。