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Mountain-Shaped Incense Burner (Boshan Xianglu)

A work made of bronze.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of bronze.

Date:

Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220), 1st century B.C./A.D.

Artist:

China

About this artwork

During the Han dynasty, fantastical beliefs in immortality and exotic lands inspired the earliest three-dimensional landscapes. The conical lid of this incense burner, shaped like towering peaks, is associated with the mountainous Isles of the Blessed. These islands were described as the realm of immortal beings (xian) in the myth, superstition, and magic widespread in Han Dynasty Religion. Fragrant smoke wafting through holes in the lid of this incense burner would evoke such a mist-shrouded utopia.

Status

On View, Gallery 133

Department

Arts of Asia

Title

Mountain-Shaped Incense Burner (Boshan Xianglu)

Place

China (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

99 BCE–99 CE

Medium

Bronze

Dimensions

21.3 × 19.4 cm (8 3/8 × 7 1/8 in.); Diam.: 19.4 cm (7 1/8 in.)

Credit Line

Lucy Maud Buckingham Collection

Reference Number

1926.1864

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

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https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/32631/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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