Celadon Incense Burner with Girin-shaped Lid

A celadon incense burner of the twelfth century, the height of Goryeo celadon, 20 cm high. It is in two parts: the body where the incense burned, and a lid in the form of a kneeling girin, the mythical beast. The body flares wide at the top and stands on three legs shaped like animals. Cloud decorates the body and is placed at three points round the rim, and the lid sits on it. At the centre of the lid a girin turns to look behind it; round the sides of the seat it kneels on, a lightning pattern is incised. A horn sprouts from its head, now broken, and the back of its neck is curled. The eyes are dotted with black pigment. The smoke of the incense is made to leave through its open mouth. The soft sheen peculiar to jade-green celadon wraps the whole piece with real dignity. When jade-green celadon was at its height in the twelfth century, many such pieces were made in the forms of auspicious animals and plants.

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Where it is

Region

Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

Designation

National Treasure · 국보