{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/2/context.json","@type":"sc:Manifest","@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/bb43fd45-c9d2-47b7-9be6-edb3cf008615/manifest","label":"gaa_incense-burner_65h2","metadata":[{"label":"Identifier","value":"gaa_incense-burner_65h2"},{"label":"Citation","value":"Object Name, Date Original (if known), GettDigital: Asian Art Collection, Special Collections / Musselman Library, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Access Date, Link to Item"},{"label":"Repository","value":"Special Collections and College Archives, Musselman Library, Gettysburg College"},{"label":"Inventory Number","value":"65H2"},{"label":"Accessioning Note","value":"Received from Mr. Hampshire as gift in absolute Deed by Gift on December 9, 1964."},{"label":"Part of","value":["Asian Art GettDigital Collection"]},{"label":"Provenance","value":"John H. Hampshire"},{"label":"Genre","value":["Artifacts"]},{"label":"Object Location","value":"12.A.3"},{"label":"Date","value":"D:00 M:00 Y:1700 - D:00 M:00 Y:2000"},{"label":"Date Original","value":"18th-20th century CE"},{"label":"Era","value":["Republican period","Qing dynasty"]},{"label":"Measurement","value":"Height: 18.8 cm; Diameter at mouth: 17 cm; Thickness: 5 mm"},{"label":"Medium","value":["Cast iron","Metal"]},{"label":"Country of Origin","value":["China"]},{"label":"Description","value":"From the earliest days of Chinese civilization until recent times, incense burners have served as a national tribute to the deities and gods. Bronze and jade were not the only materials used for sculptures of such vessels. The use of cast-iron in China dates back nearly 25 centuries, to the 5th century B.C. By the 3rd century B.C. a form of malleable cast-iron was being widely used in China for utensils, tools, and agricultural implements. Deriving its form from the ancient bronze vessel ting, this cauldron is a single-piece casting poured from a single melt of modern cast-iron foundry practices, that is not consistent with a form of cast-iron known to have been widely produced by ancient Chinese metal casters. It is not an archaic bronze for ritual purposes, and it may have been created in later times as an incense burner for a family altar or simply a decorative object.* Religious beliefs have always exerted a powerful influence on art. The religions of China at the beginning of the Han dynasty were headed by two great schools of thought-Confucianism and Taoism. In particular, Taoism with its worship of longevity and its constant quest for the secrets of Immortality, supplied a host of legends and myths that provided an endless number of motives in the decorative arts. The theme of the vessel manifests the Taoist cosmology-the belief in the vast heavenly paradises of the gods- the vital energy qi, the concept of the afterworlds embedded in the worship of sacred mountain peaks, and the dualism of yin-yang (the characters sun and moon on two clumps of cloud, the pairs of dragon, pavilions, and phoenix). These motives are thoroughly incorporated in the design of this specimen with a perfect symbolic combination of Taoist emblems embodied. The sturdy shape shows great strength of form that fuses nicely to the well-executed symmetrical design. The mouthrim is stylishly adorned with chrysanthemum flowers and foliage, emblematic of the Chinese ideal gentleman who chooses to reject mundane positions and devote his time to literary leisure. It is flanked by two long and heavy handles reaching upward. The vessel does not have a cover. The detailed decoration on the surface of the bulbous body is extended in high-relief carving with a remarkable clear-cut smoothness. It is divided into two panels: on one side, framed by two pavilions, two Kuei dragons swirl and course around the cloud-covered sacred peaks and fiercely fight for a luminous pearl grabbed by one of them; on the other side, two auspicious phoenix flank a third pavilion. Two clumps of stylized clouds in the form of the lingzhih fungus decorate the side of the roof of the structure; one carries the character rì or sun, the other yuè or moon. The vessel is supported on three short cabriole legs surmounted by fearsome squat lions (or shih-tzu) looking downward. The carver adroitly incorporated the incurvate legs of the animal into the vessel support. The swirling lines and clouds serve as the background. Mist evaporates from the ground and veils these pavilions. Clearly visible is a separated patch that oddly joins with the cast-iron vessel. It is conveniently applied in the interior bottom as a mending piece to cover a break. The scrap carries inscriptions formed by three shallow incised seal scripts. The application of the inscriptions is open to doubt. The three seal scripts are obscure; they could be the name of the artisan. There are some noteworthy issues pertaining the problematic dating of this cast-iron sculpture. First, the use of the material is incoherent. The vessel was mistakenly labeled as a Han bronze, probably for the purpose of misrepresenting its antique value. Not everything bronze can be automatically dated to the Han and early periods. During the Han period, while sacrifices to ancestors were still made, there were few if any traces of the use of traditional bronze ritual vessels for such practices. Bronze was an expensive material. In this period when Confucianism prevailed, lavishness did not align with its principles and was not a characteristic of the Han artistic style. In fact most known Han incense burners took the shape of the Taoist mythical mountain or boshanlu and were earthenware, signifying a decline in the status of vessels used for ritual offerings to the ancestors. From the Tang dynasty on, cast-iron objects were made, on some occasions, to render them especially potent. From the Song dynasty, bronze vessels were adapted for incense burners and other objects on the altar; jade was used instead. In the late 15th century, Taoist iron-cast sculpture revived and was widely practiced. From the Qing period to recent times, cast-iron decorative objects and statues were occasionally created for the market. Second, whereas the outer surface is almost intact, shiny and shows no sign of patina or decay, there is some simulated patina on the interior bottom. Ancient bronzes should always be covered with patina so as to retain their value (the Chinese are particularly fond of this colorful coating, and preserve it intact). Besides the break nicely mended with the piece of inscribed metal (mentioned above), there is another smaller splinter close to one leg. These two ruptures show the inconsistent thickness of the piece during the creation process. Ancient bronze vessels are thick (as described in most inscriptions: \" for the commissioners' offspring to treasure and use forever\" ). Third, there is a relative uncertainty about the provenance of this vessel. On the inside, there is evidence of dirt (not clay) in the concave parts of the legs. The above remarks on the fractures and patina somehow make it doubtful that after casting the specimen may have been immediately buried in the ground or immersed in chemicals to develop a respectable patina that is obviously thin and easily rubbed off. Fourth, it was not until the Song dynasty that the full efflorescence of the floral motif in Chinese art took place. The floral motif on the mouthrim betrayed the previously assigned date for this vessel. Finally, the striation pattern (to depict the scales) on the bodies of the three-clawed dragons and their movements do not match any artistic period. The Chinese artistic traditions associated with the religious traditions are so rich, yet so poorly understood. From the iconological and iconographic analyses above (the style and artistic characteristics) this ting vessel could be an antique replica since it shows no sign of decay and has no patina on its outer appearance. * The ancient bronze vessel Ting was a ritual cooking vessel; it is sometimes easily mistaken with the bronze gui."},{"label":"Title","value":"Incense burner"},{"label":"Rights","value":"Materials available through GettDigital encompass a wide range of works, many of which are in the public domain. However, some items may still be protected by copyright or other intellectual property rights. Users are responsible for determining the copyright status of materials and ensuring compliance with all applicable laws when reproducing or publishing these works. Items in our GettDigital Collections are for educational use. For assistance in understanding rights, obtaining permissions, or requesting files for publication or research purposes, please contact us at <a href=\"www.gettysburg.edu/special-collections/ask-an-archivist\">www.gettysburg.edu/special-collections/ask-an-archivist</a>"},{"label":"Reference URL","value":"http://cdm16274.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p4016coll6/id/855"}],"description":"Incense burner","sequences":[{"@type":"sc:Sequence","canvases":[{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/bb43fd45-c9d2-47b7-9be6-edb3cf008615/canvas/_1","@type":"sc:Canvas","label":"Incense burner","height":768,"width":512,"images":[{"@type":"oa:Annotation","motivation":"sc:painting","resource":{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/bb43fd45-c9d2-47b7-9be6-edb3cf008615/full/full/0/default.jpg","@type":"dctypes:Image","format":"image/jpeg","service":{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/image/2/context.json","@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/bb43fd45-c9d2-47b7-9be6-edb3cf008615","profile":"http://iiif.io/api/image/2/level2.json","tiles":[{"width":512,"scaleFactors":[1,2]}]},"height":768,"width":512},"on":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/bb43fd45-c9d2-47b7-9be6-edb3cf008615/canvas/_1","metadata":[]}],"thumbnail":{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/bb43fd45-c9d2-47b7-9be6-edb3cf008615/full/500,500/0/default.jpg","@type":"dctypes:Image","height":500,"width":500}}]}],"thumbnail":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/bb43fd45-c9d2-47b7-9be6-edb3cf008615/full/500,500/0/default.jpg","logo":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/logo"}