Celadon Incense Burner with Lid in the Shape of a Turtle-dragon

This incense burner has a wide flat rim around its mouth and a lid decorated with a turtle-dragon set above the body in which incense is burned. Its total height is 20.4 cm, the burner itself is 10.2 cm high, and the mouth diameter is 10.2 cm. The turtle-dragon, shown seated with head raised, is a spirit creature with the body of a turtle and the head of a dragon, carved with great skill and full of vitality. The mane on its face and the scales on its neck are rendered in fine detail with delicate incised lines, and the character '王' (king) is carved within the tortoiseshell pattern on its back. The lid, in the form of the seated turtle, is hollow through the body, so that when incense is burned in the lower section, the smoke rises up through the body and issues from the open mouth. The lower part of the lid is encircled by a band of petal and lightning-scroll patterns, and it stands on three legs carved with animal heads. Cloud designs are incised all around the rim and body of the lower section. The whole surface has a clear, pure jade-green lustre, with the turtle-dragon rendered in a somewhat deeper blue-green tone.

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Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물