Incense Burner with Peonies

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The densely worked background of naturalistic plants cast in high relief and covered with gold leaf is typical of the work of Hu Wenming, one of the few Chinese metalworkers whose names have been recorded. Little is known about his life except that he worked in Yunjian, an affluent area twenty miles southwest of Shanghai that has long been associated with the arts. Most of the pieces in this style are scholars’ accoutrements: incense paraphernalia, brush holders, ruyi scepters, and hand warmers. It seems likely that this censer was once part of a set that also included a box for storing incense, a vase, snd additional implements such as a spoon and tongs.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art