Tripod incense burner with makara

Tripod incense burner with makara

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Resting on three feet in the form of elephant heads, this incense burner features three long-snout dragons circling its body. Derived from Indic makara, this type of mythical creature was introduced into China via Tibetan Buddhism from the thirteenth century. Popular in the Ming court, makara dragons were widely found on stone carvings, porcelain, and cloisonné works throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

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.