Tripod incense-burner

Known in Japanese as undode ("hand-worked cloud-building"), the scenes on this work, depicting pavilions hidden in cloudy landscapes, appeared frequently on underglaze-blue tripods of the fifteenth century. Such metaphysical scenery was popular from after the Xuande period up to the Chenghua period. The scenery in this piece is drawn freehand with quick, sweeping brushwork. The blue is grayish and dull, showing concentrated dots of cobalt in areas. Incense burner made at the imperial shop were neatly bordered with a meander band around the rim (Shanghai Mus. 1987: pl. 85; Tianjin Mus. 1993: pl. 104). This piece expresses rustic simplicity, illustrating a good example of the work of a freelance shop.