China, Western Han dynasty (206 BCE–8 CE) / 200–100 BCE
Incense Burner (Boshan Lu)
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Incense Burner (Boshan Lu) as metalwork (China, Western Han dynasty (206 BCE–8 CE) · 200–100 BCE).
Deities (appearing as hunters) and fantastic beasts roam freely among mists and clouds on this incense burner.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this metalwork as bronze.
The museum's collection notes: The conical cover of this incense burner represents a miniature mountain with hunting scenes. The cover was shrouded in mist and emanated intoxicating smoke through its openwork when fragrant woods and herbs were burnt in its stem cup, transporting its beholder into an imaginative realm.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtIncense Burner (Boshan Lu)Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.