Incense Burner in the Shape of a Courtier’s Hat with Scrolling Peonies

Incense Burner in the Shape of a Courtier’s Hat with Scrolling Peonies

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The complex form of this incense burner is based on the Heian-period courtier hat (kanmuri) that was part of the formal court dress (sokutai) of aristocrats. The black-lacquered hat has a low, flat cap, a tall knob at the back for the topknot, two crossbars attached to the two sides of the knob to stabilize the hat, and a long, flat tail in the back. With the ubiquitous appearance of courtiers’ hats in Genji painting and the numerous references to incense in the tale, it was an ingenious idea to create an incense burner in the kanmuri shape. Nabeshima-type celadon vessels were covered with a thick layer or two of glaze, creating elegant high-quality wares, enriched here by relief peonies and scrolling vines that decorate the censer’s body.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Incense Burner in the Shape of a Courtier’s Hat with Scrolling PeoniesIncense Burner in the Shape of a Courtier’s Hat with Scrolling PeoniesIncense Burner in the Shape of a Courtier’s Hat with Scrolling PeoniesIncense Burner in the Shape of a Courtier’s Hat with Scrolling PeoniesIncense Burner in the Shape of a Courtier’s Hat with Scrolling Peonies

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.