Incense burner in the form of a goose

Incense burner in the form of a goose

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This incense burner is an extremely rare example of an imperially-commissioned bronze from the early Ming dynasty. Cleverly designed so that the fragrant incense is exhaled from the bird’s open beak, the censer artfully combines naturalism, ornamental detail, and a sense of history as it references similar incense burners first created during the Han dynasty (206 BC–AD 220) and revived during the Song (960–1279) and Yuan (1271–1368) dynasties. These earlier examples are typically simpler and less animated. The massive size, lively form, and meticulous details of the current work perfectly demonstrate the new taste and high standards of the early Ming period, when the imperial art patronage reached a new peak.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Incense burner in the form of a gooseIncense burner in the form of a gooseIncense burner in the form of a gooseIncense burner in the form of a gooseIncense burner in the form of a goose

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.