Tripod incense burner

Tripod incense burner

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ancient ritual bronzes often served as prototypes for later metalwork, particularly those with ritual or ceremonial functions. The shape of this piece is based on an archaic tripod vessel known as a ding, which was used for holding or serving food and other offerings; however, this object functioned as an incense burner. The six-character mark on the raised gilt-bronze plaque identifies that it was from the imperial workshop in Beijing.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.