China Museum

Ten Top Collections in Beijing Palace Museum(8)—Cloisonné Enamel Burner with Lotus Decoration and Elephant-trunk Handles(掐丝珐琅缠枝莲纹象耳炉)

The incense burner has a round and bulging brass body, two handles shaped like elephant trunks and a foot ring. Around the neck are 12 yellow, white, red and purple chrysanthemum flowers on light blue enamel ground. The body is decorated with six red, white and yellow entwining sprays of lotus flowers on sapphire blue ground. Below them is a band of lotus petals.

The enamel coating is shining and smooth. In some places, it is as transparent as glass. The colours of the enamel are harmoniously matched so the burner looks elegant and classical in style. The burner is a distinguished inlaid enamel work of the Yuan period. The inner brass body and the elephant-trunk handles, however, were fitted on at a later date.

Black Lacquer Clock with Eight Immortals (Heiqi caihui louge qunxian zhushou zhong)

This clock sits on a rectangular table that like the clock case is decorated with black lacquer and painted patterns. The two-hand dial is inscribed with the Qianlong four-character reign mark and is decorated with yellow enamel, a hue especially reserved for items used by the imperial family. Five winding keyholes on the dial regulate five springs that function to control the time as well as the quarterly and hourly chimes. When the bottom two springs are wound the scenes in the panels to the right and left of the clock rotate. When fully wound the clock strikes every quarter hour then the three doors on the second story automatically open to reveal three figures holding hammers and bells. The figures on the right and left strike bells to announce the quarter hours while the central figure marks the hour. After performing their duties the figures retreat into the tower while music plays and the scenes flanking the clock begin to move. On the left, a crane and an immortal dance while the sea surges and a pavilion gradually rises. On the right, between hills of an imaginary landscape a figure is shown enjoying his birthday party as he accepts gifts from the Eight Immortals.