The censer shows painted enamel at its most confident. Wire first, then enamel, then fire, repeated until the surface is calm and the gilding catches the light.
A censer in painted enamel was never for use alone. It was a statement about control, of colour, of fire, of a pattern held perfectly still.
The Imperial taste ran to crowded, auspicious objects. A censer in painted enamel could carry a wish, a reign mark and a lecture in enamel, all at once.
Enamel is the most patient possible boast. This censer is on Sinocra with more from The Palace Museum, and the shop carries the craft forward.
Object details
| Name | Painted enamel censer (画珐琅云龙纹圆手炉) |
|---|---|
| Artefact no. | 故00116718 |
| Technique | Painted enamel (画珐琅) |
| Period | Imperial dynasty |
| Collection | The Palace Museum, Beijing |
| Source | Palace Museum Digital Collection (数字文物库) |
Image © The Palace Museum. View the original in the Palace Museum Digital Collection.