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LINGERING FRAGRANCE –AN IMPERIAL PARCEL-GILT SILVER CENSER FROM THE WANLI PERIODThe enthusiasm of Empress Dowager Cisheng, mother of the Wanli Emperor, for Buddhism frequently obliged her son to present gifts and imperial edicts to the monks and monasteries that she favoured. This very rare silver censer, made in the 10th year of the Wanli reign, could be one of the gifts commissioned by her for an important temple. It is very possible that a precious object such as this was made to commemorate an important occasion. Certainly there were many reasons for commemoration in that year: the birth of Wanli Emperor’s first son, Zhu Changluo, the future Taichang Emperor; the tenth anniversary of Wanli’s coronation; the tenth anniversary of Longqing Emperor’s death; or the death of the most prominent ministers of the Wanli period, Zhang Juzheng, who was a close ally of the Emperess Dowager. The paucity of historical records means we can only speculate, but such an important object was probably made for an equally important occasion.The characters of the mark on the current censer are incised with double outlines in circular formation, and very similar to those found on two gold handled pots from the tomb of the Wanli Empror (fig. 1, 2), illustrated in Catalogue of Relics from the Dingling Mausoleum, vol. 2, Beijing, 2006, figs. 45 and 46, pp. 70-71. The weight recorded on the current censer, which converts to 4684.82 grams, is very close to its actual weight of 4717 grams, showing that it was very precisely measured.The decoration on the current censer is obviously related to Buddhism, but it is very difficult to identify each scene. One of the scenes (fig. 3) appears to recount the story where, upon being attacked by drunken elephants set loose by King Ajatashatru, the Buddha released five lions from his five fingers to quell the elephants. This story is recorded in many different sutras. The composition and decorative style of the decoration around the censer could have been inspired by contemporaneous woodblock prints, such as this example (fig. 4) in Shishi yuanliu (The Origins of Shakyamuni), printed by the imperial printing press of the Yongle period. This book was very popular during the Ming dynasty and was re-issued with new woodblock compositions subsequently in Jingtai and Chenghua periods, produced by the Imperial printing press. This censer is extremely rare and no other identical example appears to have been recorded. However, a small gilt-silver alms bowl, sold by Christie’s Forever on the 5 June 2012, lot 628 (fig. 5), is very similarly decorated with a more simplified composition for its decoration, and bears the mark of Wanli Yinzuoju ( 銀作局Imperial Silver Atelier). The current censer is a very important example in the study of gold and silver objects made in the Imperial atelier, as well as the type of Buddhist offerings made by the court.
AN IMPORTANT AND VERY RARE IMPERIAL LARGE REPOUSSE PARCEL-GILT SILVER CENSER
YUYONGJIAN ZAO MARK, DATED WANLI RENWU YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1582 AND OF THE PERIOD
Details
AN IMPORTANT AND VERY RARE IMPERIAL LARGE REPOUSSE PARCEL-GILT SILVER CENSER
YUYONGJIAN ZAO MARK, DATED WANLI RENWU YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1582 AND OF THE PERIOD
This silver censer, with an interior copper lining, is of circular shape, finely cast and partially gilt with a compressed body supported on a slightly splayed foot with a pair of dragon-head handles modelled around the body of the censer. The exterior is densely covered with a wide band of repoussé designs of multiple scenes depicting various Buddhist allegories. The neck is delicately decorated with a band of lotus blooms borne on undulating scrolls, and the foot with tumultuous waves. The base is incised with a visvavajra and is surrounded by the inscription, Da Ming Wanli renwu nian yuyongjian zao yinzhong yibai ershiwu liang liu qian’ ([It is] made in the cyclical renwu year by the Directorate for Palace Accoutrements. The silver measures one hundred and twenty-five liang plus six qian [4684.82 grams] in total weight).
15 9/16 in. (39.5 cm.) wide, box, 4717g
YUYONGJIAN ZAO MARK, DATED WANLI RENWU YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1582 AND OF THE PERIOD
This silver censer, with an interior copper lining, is of circular shape, finely cast and partially gilt with a compressed body supported on a slightly splayed foot with a pair of dragon-head handles modelled around the body of the censer. The exterior is densely covered with a wide band of repoussé designs of multiple scenes depicting various Buddhist allegories. The neck is delicately decorated with a band of lotus blooms borne on undulating scrolls, and the foot with tumultuous waves. The base is incised with a visvavajra and is surrounded by the inscription, Da Ming Wanli renwu nian yuyongjian zao yinzhong yibai ershiwu liang liu qian’ ([It is] made in the cyclical renwu year by the Directorate for Palace Accoutrements. The silver measures one hundred and twenty-five liang plus six qian [4684.82 grams] in total weight).
15 9/16 in. (39.5 cm.) wide, box, 4717g
Provenance
Formerly in a private English collection, acquired in Edinburgh in the 1980s.
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