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Tripod incense burner

China

Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Yongle mark and period (1403-24)

Not on view

This powerful tripod censer exemplifies the stately magnificence of imperial bronze vessels cast in the early fifteenth century. Its form is close to that of imperial porcelain censers of the period. On its neck is a three-language mark in Chinese, Tibetan, and Sanskrit, which says it was bestowed in the Yongle period of the Great Ming. It was originally dedicated to the imperial-sponsored Qutan Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist temple located in Ledu, Qinghai Province.

Tripod incense burner, Gilt copper alloy, China

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Tripod incense burner, Gilt copper alloy, China
Tripod incense burner, Gilt copper alloy, China

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